Anitas Polish Pierogies Recipes

HOMEMADE POLISH PIEROGI

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk eggs, water and salt until blended; gradually stir in flour. Transfer to a lightly floured surface; knead 10-12 times, forming a firm dough. Cover and let rest 10 minutes., For filling, in a small bowl, whisk egg, salt, sugar and pepper. Stir in cheese., Divide dough into 4 portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion to 1/8-in. thickness; cut with a floured 4-in. round cookie cutter. Place 1 tablespoon filling in center of each circle. Moisten edges with water; fold in half and press edges to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. , In a 6-qt. stockpot, bring water to a boil. Add pierogi in batches; reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook until pierogi float to the top and are tender, 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon., In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add pierogi in batches; cook until golden brown, 1-3 minutes on each side, adding additional butter as necessary. If desired, serve with sour cream and chives.

PIEROGI (TRADITIONAL POLISH DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• Pass farmer's cheese and cooked potatoes separately through a food grinder or food processor.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat and cook mushrooms and onions until soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Combine farmer's cheese, potatoes, mushroom mixture, sour cream, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix together and set filling aside.
• Place flour on a clean work surface and make a well in the center. Crack both eggs into the well. Add butter and a few tablespoons of the warm water. Mix with your hands, gradually adding more warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, as you go. Knead well, continuing to add more water as needed. Knead until dough is soft and smooth, adding more flour to the work surface as needed.
• Cut off 1/4 of the dough and roll out to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut out circles using a glass or a round pastry cutter, saving the excess dough for your next batch.
• Fill each dough circle with 1 teaspoon of filling. Fold dough over into a half-moon shape and pinch edges together to seal. Cover with a clean dish towel so pierogi won't dry out and repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Add the pierogi in batches, about 20 at a time, and cook until they float to the surface, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain in a strainer. Repeat with the remaining pierogi.

POLISH PIEROGIES (POTATO CHEESE)

Steps:

• Place flour in a large bowl and make a well in center.
• Add water and egg and stir to make a soft non-sticky dough, if dough is too sticky, add more flour, 1/4 cup at a time.
• In a separate bowl, prepare filling by combining all ingredients.
• Add about 2 tsp. of filling to dough and knead in.
• Roll out dough about 1/8" thick.
• Cut out large rounds, 3 to 4" (I use the widest glass I have).
• Place about a tablespoon of filling on one side of each circle.
• Moisten edges with water and fold over to close.
• Pinch edges or use fork to seal.
• After filling all pierogies, place in boiling water until they float.
• Freeze for later use or fry in butter over medium heat and light brown both sides.

GRANDMA'S POLISH PEROGIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, sour cream, eggs, egg yolk and oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour until well blended. Cover the bowl with a towel, and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Place potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, and mash with shredded cheese and cheese sauce while still hot. Season with onion salt, salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
• Separate the perogie dough into two balls. Roll out one piece at a time on a lightly floured surface until it is thin enough to work with, but not too thin so that it tears. Cut into circles using a cookie cutter, perogie cutter, or a glass. Brush a little water around the edges of the circles, and spoon some filling into the center. Fold the circles over into half-circles, and press to seal the edges. Place perogies on a cookie sheet, and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to freezer storage bags or containers.
• To cook perogies: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop perogies in one at a time. They are done when they float to the top. Do not boil too long, or they will be soggy! Remove with a slotted spoon.

POLISH PEROGIES W/ WONTON SKINS

Steps:

• 1. In a skillet over heat, cook bacon 4 minutes. Remove from skillet, drain, and crumble. Add 1/2 cups of sliced onions to bacon dripping in skillet. Cook 10 minutes on medium heat. Remove and save. In a bowl, combine, combine the 2 potatoes that have been boiled, peeled and mashed, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and the crumpled bacon. Brush water over the edges of 25 wonton skins. Divide potato mixture evenly among center of the wrappers. Fold each wrapper over filling to form a triangle, press to seal. Working in batches, cook perogies in boiling water 4 minutes..or until they float. Remove and top with the cooked onions. Cut up fresh green onions cut up and tossed over the perogies is a nice touch.
• 2. Some people like to fry them gently in butter....when they are done.

ANITA'S POLISH PIEROGIES

Steps:

• METHOD:.
• Put flour, butter and salt into into the food processor, put lid on and turn on the machine. Pour the water through the feeder spout in a stream. Let blades rotate until the mixture turns into a ball of dough. Let this sit out for a while as it makes the dough easier to work with.
• FILLING METHOD:.
• Cook the potatoes, mash, add the cheese and mix well until cheese has melted into the potatoes. Let them cool a little before filling the pierogies as this will make them easier to handle.
• Next roll out your peirogie dough with a rolling pin. Use a glass or round cookie cutter to make your circles. It might be a good idea to dip whatever you use into flour to prevent it from sticking.
• Place filling on the circle, don't over fill and seal the edges well. If this leaks you lose your filling in the water.
• Place the made peirogies on a floured surface and don't let the peirogies touch, they will stick together.
• Drop the peirogies into the pot of boiling water and cook for 5-8 minutes or until they rise to the surface of the water. This means they are cooked. Boil about 6-10 at a time as this won't cool your boiling water down too much.
• Melt some butter and put in the bottom of an oven safe dish. I use a 9x13 ceramic dish. I layer the pierogies with fried onions and turkey bacon. You can use regular bacon.
• **THE ONION AND BACON CAN BE FRIED UP AHEAD OF TIME. I USE A WHOLE ONION AND 8 PIECES OF BACON CUT UP SMALL.
• Bon Appetit.

FAMOUS POLISH PIEROGIES

Steps:

• 1. Whisk egg and sour cream together. Then whisk in milk and water. With a wooden spoon stir in flour 1 cup at a time until a loose sticky dough forms.
• 2. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and turn and fold dough to knead, dusting with flour as needed until elastic and no longer sticky about 8-10 minutes. (Be careful not to add too much flour, which will toughen the dough).
• 3. Cover with inverted bowl and let rest for 1 hour.
• 4. Spray a baking sheet with oil to put your pierogies on so they wont stick or spray wax paper lightly with oil. Divide dough into 4 equal parts. Wrap the 3 pieces in plastic wrap and roll out the 4th on a lightly floured surface until 1/8 inch thick. Use a 3 inch biscuit cutter or a glass about the same size to cut out your circles of dough. Try your best to cut as close to one another as possible. Set aside scraps to be reworked.
• 5. Place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the mixture of your choice into the center of each circle. Fold in half and pinch closed. If you have trouble with it closing just use a dab of water to it for closure. Place on your baking sheet or lightly greased wax paper.
• 6. Boil some water in a large pot with some salt. Drop 10 - 12 pierogies at a time into the water. They will cook for about 5 minutes or until they float to the top. Remove them when finished.
• 7. Have a pan ready with your onion & garlic sauce.....cook up those onions & garlic low and slow....stirring occasionally. You want your onions & garlic nice and tender. Add some of your pierogies and cook on both sides till they are lightly browned.
• 8. Don't laugh to hard....these are my first attempt at making pierogies. They look kinda sad but they tasted fantastic. lol Of course, Dad made his perfectly shaped and so beautiful.
• 9. Here is a pic of Dad & I getting ready to stuff our pierogies. This was a class we took as Dad wanted a refresher since his Bubba and Mum have passed. He had forgotten some details. I'll post a few pics of Dad & I last year making pierogies at my house.
• 10. Last year Dad & I making pierogies at my house. I think we ended up with 10 dozen or more. Worked all day on them....took a lot longer than we thought it would. Hopefully we will get faster this year. Dad rolling out the dough and cutting.
• 11. Here is what I was working on...all the fillings and then I stuffed them all.
• 12. Our finished pierogies on the counter which we froze most all of them.
• 13. Here were some that I cooked up to sample that night.