Pierogi, a traditional dumpling dish originating from Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, are delectable pockets of dough filled with an array of savory or sweet fillings. These delectable dumplings are a staple in many Eastern European cuisines, and their versatility allows for endless variations in terms of fillings and cooking methods. Pierogi can be boiled, fried, or baked, and their fillings can range from classic potato and cheese to sauerkraut and mushrooms, or sweet fillings such as fruits or jams. In this article, we will explore a classic recipe for Potato-Cheddar Pierogi, along with a step-by-step guide to making these delicious dumplings from scratch. We will also provide additional variations of pierogi fillings, including a hearty sauerkraut and mushroom filling and a sweet cherry filling, ensuring that there is a perfect pierogi recipe for every taste.
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
POTATO-CHEDDAR PIEROGI
Steps:
- Put the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let rest until the skins are dry. Transfer the potatoes to a mixing bowl.
- Mash the potatoes until just broken up. Add the smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, 1 tablespoon salt and 1/2 tablespoon pepper. Continue mashing until there are no lumps and the dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed in. Add the cream cheese and continue mixing until blended. Add the Cheddar; mix until blended (see Cook's Note). Refrigerate until chilled.
- To assemble the pierogi: On a well-floured surface, roll out a ball of Pierogi Dough the size of a large orange into a rectangle about 1/8-inch thick. Cut out 3-inch rounds of dough (a pint glass will do).
- Place 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each round, then fold the rounds in half. Take care to make sure all the air pockets are pressed out of the pierogi. Crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers.
- Boil the pierogi for 3 minutes, then brown in a skillet. Serve with caramelized onions and sour cream.
- Add the eggs, flour, mashed potatoes, baking powder, salt and 1/2 cup water to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Mix until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.
- Cover the dough in plastic wrap or a slightly damp cloth. Let rest in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes and up to 4 hours.
POTATO AND CHEESE PIEROGI
This recipe is an Ukrainian one of my Great-Grandmothers passed down from the years. They are great with melted butter and sauteed onions, or fry if desired. They can also be frozen between layers of plastic wrap.
Provided by BOB_E_72
Categories Main Dish Recipes Dumpling Recipes
Time 2h10m
Yield 60
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain.
- Combine flour, eggs and salt. Mix in a little water at a time until dough is somewhat stiff. Roll dough in small sections about 1/4 inch thick. Using a large biscuit cutter or drinking glass, make circle cuts.
- To make filling: Mix together potatoes, cheese, salt, pepper and onion salt. Fill each with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture, fold over and seal edges. To cook, bring a large pot of water to boil, carefully dropping in one at a time; stir once. They are done when they float to the top.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 96.9 calories, Carbohydrate 15.4 g, Cholesterol 15.4 mg, Fat 2.3 g, Fiber 0.7 g, Protein 3.5 g, SaturatedFat 1.2 g, Sodium 103.3 mg, Sugar 1 g
PIEROGI RUSKIE (POTATO AND CHEESE PIEROGI)
Pierogi are always on the menu at milk bars, historic Polish restaurants that were once socialist canteens. This recipe for pierogi ruskie, stuffed with potatoes and cheese, comes from the Bar Prasowy, which is one of the most famous milk bars in Warsaw, and a place where fist-size dumplings can be filled with mushrooms and meat, spinach and cheese, or any number of combinations. These pierogi can be made from kitchen staples, though you'd be doing yourself a favor if you sought out the salty quark cheese that would be used in Poland. Be patient with your first few pierogi: Sealing the filling inside the dumpling takes some practice, but the practice itself is enjoyable. You can snack on the pierogi straight after boiling, or pan-fry them with butter until crisp and serve with barszcz, a light Polish borscht.
Provided by Amelia Nierenberg
Categories dinner, dumplings, project, vegetables, appetizer, main course, side dish
Time 1h30m
Yield 24 to 30 pierogi
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Prepare the dough: Add the flour and salt to a large bowl; whisk to combine. In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup water and the butter over medium-high until butter is melted, about 3 minutes. Pour the buttery liquid into the flour gradually, stirring it in as you add it. (The dough will be quite crumbly and flaky at this point, like a biscuit dough.) Stir in the egg until combined then move the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, 5 to 7 minutes. Cover the dough with a dampened towel or plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the filling: Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Add them to a large pot, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt and cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high and continue to cook at a simmer until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.
- While the potatoes cook, prepare the onions: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high. Add the onions, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown and softened, about 12 minutes. Set aside about 1 cup of onions for garnish and add the rest to a medium bowl.
- Transfer the cooked potatoes to a colander to drain, then transfer to the medium bowl with the onions. Add the cheese, stir to combine, season generously with salt and pepper, then let cool.
- Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high.
- Prepare the wrappers: Cut the dough into two even pieces. (You'll want to leave one piece under the towel to stay moist while you work with the other piece.) You'll also want a small bowl of flour, a small bowl of water and a towel handy for keeping your hands clean. Dust some flour onto a baking sheet (for holding the pierogi) and your work surface, then roll out one portion of dough until 1/8-inch thick. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter or inverted glass, punch 12 to 15 disks of dough. (Save and refrigerate the scraps to boil as a rustic pasta, in soup or another use.)
- Assemble the pierogi: Working with one disk at time, spoon a scant tablespoon of filling onto the middle of it. Fold the dough in half to enclose the filling, bringing the edges together to form a crescent shape. Pinch the two sides together at the top, then work your way down on both sides, pinching the dough over the filling and pushing in the filling as needed, making sure the potato mixture does not break the seal. If needed, you can dip your fingertip into water and moisten the dough in spots as needed to help the two sides adhere together.
- To form a rustic pattern on the curved seal, pinch the rounded rim underneath using your pointer finger and middle finger and press an indentation on top with your thumb, working your way along the rounded rim. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. (If you've gotten some filling on your fingers, dip your fingertips into the bowl of water then dry them off on the towel.)
- Repeat with remaining disks, then repeat the entire process with the remaining portion of dough. You'll want to work fairly quickly, as the pierogi can be harder to seal if they start to dry out. (If cooking the pierogi at a later point, transfer them on the baking sheet to the freezer until frozen solid, then transfer the pierogi to a resealable bag and freeze.)
- To cook the pierogi, add a single layer of pierogi to the pot of boiling water. Let them cook until they rise to the surface, about 2 minutes, then cook another 2 to 3 minutes until puffy. (With frozen dumplings, you will need to increase the cooking time by a couple of minutes.) Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked dumplings to a colander to drain, then boil remaining dumplings.
- If you want to pan-fry your pierogi, working in batches, melt 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high until crackling. Add a few boiled pierogi in a single layer to avoid overcrowding, and cook until crisp and golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining pierogi, adding butter as needed.
- Serve hot. Top with any browned butter from the pan, warmed reserved onions, sour cream and herbs.
POTATO PIEROGI
Pierogi were traditionally served as a meatless dish during Lent, but evolved into a popular side dish. Pierogi bob to the surface of the cooking water when they're done.
Provided by Martha Stewart
Categories Food & Cooking Lunch Recipes
Yield Makes about 60
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk egg. Add sour cream, and whisk until smooth. Add milk and 1 cup water, and whisk until combined. Slowly add about 3 cups flour, and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
- Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and work in about 1 cup flour as you knead. Use a plastic scraper to lift dough as it will stick to the counter before flour is worked in. Continue kneading for 8 to 10 minutes, working in another 1/2 cup flour. The dough should be elastic in texture and no longer sticky. Be careful not to add too much flour, as this will toughen dough. Place dough in a lightly floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rest while you prepare filling.
- Make the filling: Place potatoes in a large pot, and cover with cold water. Add salt. Place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook until fork-tender. Drain and mash with a potato masher. Add 4 tablespoons melted butter and the cheeses, and continue to mash until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat, and bring to a boil. Lay a clean linen towel on your counter, and evenly distribute cornmeal on it to prevent sticking.
- On a floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Using a glass or cookie cutter measuring 2 1/2 inches in diameter, cut out as many circles as possible. Gather dough scraps together, rolling them out again, and continue cutting.
- Form filling into 1 1/2-inch balls, and place a ball in the center of each dough circle. Holding a circle in your hand, fold dough over filling, and pinch the edges, forming a well-sealed crescent. Transfer to linen towel. Continue this process until all dough circles are filled.
- Place pierogi in boiling water in batches. They will sink to the bottom of the pot and then rise to the top. Once they rise, let them cook for about a minute more. Meanwhile, drizzle platter with remaining 8 tablespoons melted butter. Remove pierogi from pot, and transfer to platter to prevent sticking. Serve immediately.
Tips:
- Use high-quality potatoes: Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes are ideal for pierogi because they have a smooth, creamy texture and hold their shape well after cooking.
- Boil the potatoes until they are very tender: This will make them easy to mash and will help to create a smooth, cohesive dough.
- Don't overwork the dough: Overworking the dough will make it tough. Mix it just until it comes together, then stop.
- Use a well-seasoned cast iron skillet: A cast iron skillet will give your pierogi a nice, crispy exterior. Make sure to preheat the skillet over medium heat before adding the pierogi.
- Cook the pierogi in batches: Don't overcrowd the skillet, or the pierogi will not cook evenly. Cook them in batches of 4-6 at a time.
- Serve the pierogi with your favorite toppings: Sour cream, butter, fried onions, and bacon are all classic pierogi toppings. You can also get creative and try different toppings, such as salsa, guacamole, or even a fried egg.
Conclusion:
Potato cheddar pierogi are a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as an appetizer, main course, or side dish. They are easy to make and can be customized to your liking. With a little practice, you'll be able to make perfect pierogi every time. So next time you're looking for a new and exciting dish to try, give potato cheddar pierogi a try. You won't be disappointed!
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