Homemade Polish Pierogi Recipes

HOMEMADE PIEROGI

Steps:

• In a food processor, combine flour and salt; cover and pulse to blend. Add water, eggs and butter; cover and pulse until dough forms a ball, adding an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed. Let rest, covered, 15 to 30 minutes., Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until tender, 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium-high heat, saute onions in butter until tender; set aside., Drain potatoes. Over very low heat, stir potatoes until steam has evaporated, 1-2 minutes. Press through a potato ricer or strainer into a large bowl. Stir in cream cheese, salt, pepper and onion mixture; set aside., Divide dough into 4 parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 portion of dough to 1/8-in. thickness; cut with a floured 3-in. biscuit cutter. Place 2 teaspoons of filling in center of each circle. Moisten edges with water; fold in half and press edges to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling., Bring a Dutch oven of water to a boil over high heat; add pierogi in batches. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer; cook until pierogi float to the top and are tender, 1-2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. In a large skillet, saute 4 pierogi and onion in butter until pierogi are lightly browned and heated through; sprinkle with parsley. Repeat with remaining pierogi. Freeze option: Place cooled pierogi on waxed paper-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pans; freeze until firm. Transfer to an airtight freezer container; freeze up to 3 months. To use, for each serving, in a large skillet, saute 4 pierogi and 1/4 cup chopped onion in 1 tablespoon butter until pierogi are lightly browned and heated through; sprinkle with minced fresh parsley.

PIEROGI (POLISH DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• To prepare the sauerkraut filling, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the drained sauerkraut and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove to a plate to cool.
• For the mashed potato filling, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir into the mashed potatoes, and season with salt and white pepper.
• To make the dough, beat together the eggs and sour cream until smooth. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder; stir into the sour cream mixture until dough comes together. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until firm and smooth. Divide the dough in half, then roll out one half to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch rounds using a biscuit cutter.
• Place a small spoonful of the mashed potato filling into the center of each round. Moisten the edges with water, fold over, and press together with a fork to seal. Repeat procedure with the remaining dough and the sauerkraut filling.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add perogies and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until pierogi float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon.

BASIC PIEROGI

Steps:

• Make the dough: Whisk together egg and sour cream. Whisk in milk and water. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time.
• Turn out dough onto a floured surface. (Dough will be loose and sticky.) Using a bench scraper, turn and fold dough to knead, dusting with flour as needed, until elastic and no longer sticky, 8 to 10 minutes. (Dough will come together as you knead it. Be careful not to add too much flour, since it will toughen the dough.) Cover with an inverted bowl; let rest for 1 hour.
• Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a clean linen towel, and dust generouslywith cornmeal to prevent sticking.
• Roll out 1 piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into a 1/8-inch-thick round (keep other pieces covered).
• Cut out circles very close together, using a 3-inch cutter or glass (5 inches for the plum version). Cover with plasticwrap to prevent dough from drying. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Fill pierogi: Place filling in center of each dough circle. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Holding 1 circle in your hand, fold dough over filling. Pinch edges, forming a well-sealed crescent.
• Transfer to cornmeal-dusted towel, and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough circles and filling. Working in batches, transfer pierogi to boiling water. They will sink to the bottom and then rise. Once they have risen, cook through, about 2 minutes more (or up to 4 minutes for plum pierogi, depending on ripeness). For savory pierogi, coat a platter with half the butter. Transfer pierogi to platter using a slotted spoon. Drizzle tops with remaining butter, and season with salt. For sweet pierogi, transfer to a platter using a slotted spoon, and dot with sour cream.

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 RUSKIE (POTATO AND CHEESE PIEROGI)

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.

POLISH MEAT PIEROGI WITH BEEF & POULTRY

Steps:

• If you cooked rosół soup earlier, use the leftover meat - it's perfect for a pierogi filling. A leftover steak or roast meat will work great too.
• Grind the meat in a meat grinder, or use a food processor/blender instead.
• Peel and chop the onion finely. Add some oil to the frying pan, wait for it to warm up. Add the chopped onion and fry until golden.
• Add fried onion to the meat mass. Season well with salt and pepper. Have a try - does it need more spice? If so, add some garlic powder or smoked paprika powder. Blend well with a spoon or a spatula.
• If the filling appears too dry, add a few spoons of water or broth - meat should be sticky.
• Follow the steps below or pick an alternative pierogi dough recipe here.
• Prepare a clean work surface. Sift the flour, make a small well. Pour in a few spoonfuls of hot water.
• Knead flour and water together. Gradually add more water, until the dough to becomes elastic and soft.
• Divide the dough into four parts. Spread one part on the work surface, roll into a thin layer of dough. Use a glass to cut out circles.
• Place a spoonful of meat filling in the middle. Fold dough over filling. Press edges together.
• Continue forming until all pierogi are assembled.
• Bring a pot water to a boil, salt it. Reduce the heat.
• Drop a couple of pierogi in. Cook until they float to the top (5-6 minutes).
• In the meantime, chop kiełbasa sausage and 1/2 onion into cubes. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter on a frying pan, drop in kiełbasa and onions, let them fry until golden.
• Collect the dumplings with a slotted spoon.
• Serve pierogi, topping them with melted butter and fried onion/kiełbasa pieces. Sprinkle with chopped chives.

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.

PIEROGI RUSKIE: POTATO-CHEESE PIEROGI

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Parboil the potatoes in a large saucepan by covering them with cold water and adding 1 tablespoon of salt.
• Bring the potatoes to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low, cover with a lid, and simmer for 30 minutes, or until fork-tender. Drain and let cool slightly.
• While the potatoes are parboiling, place the butter in a small pan, add the onion, and sauté over medium-low heat for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Peel the cooked potatoes, place them in a large bowl, and mash them with a fork or potato ricer .
• Add the sautéed onion and farmer cheese to the potatoes and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Gather the ingredients.
• Place 2 cups of flour in a large bowl or on a work surface and make a well in the center.
• Break the egg into it, then add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 cup of lukewarm water, a little at a time.
• Bring the dough together, kneading well and adding the remaining flour or water as needed to form a smooth dough ball.
• Divide the dough in half and cover it with a bowl or towel. Let it rest 20 minutes.
• Assemble the pierogi on a floured work surface by rolling out the dough to 1/8 inch in thickness. Using a 2-inch round cookie cutter or drinking glass, make small circles.
• Spoon 1 1/2 teaspoons of the filling onto the middle of each circle.
• Fold the dough in half to form a half-circle shape and then firmly pinch the edges together.
• Sprinkle a baking sheet with flour and place the filled pierogi on it in a single layer. Keep the formed pierogi under a clean kitchen towel to stop them from drying.
• Gather scraps, reroll, and fill until you've used all of the first half of the dough. Repeat the process with the remaining half of dough.
• Cook the pierogi by bringing a large, low saucepan of salted water to a rapid boil. Depending on the size of your pot, drop in about 6 to 10 pierogi at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Return the water to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. When the pierogi rise to the surface, continue to simmer a few more minutes. It should take around 5 to 6 minutes for the pierogi to be cooked.
• With a slotted spoon taste one, and if done, remove the remaining pierogi to a platter greased with some of the butter for serving. This will prevent the pierogi from sticking to each other.
• Serve warm with caramelized onions , skwarki, or crispy bits of bacon and a dollop of sour cream. Enjoy.

FRESH CABBAGE PIEROGI RECIPE

Steps:

• Put flour, egg, oil, and salt into the bowl. Whisk it together with hand or dough hook attachment.
• Start adding the water slowly, letting it incorporate before adding more.
• Whisk until all the ingredients are incorporated and there are no lumps.
• Wash, and finely chop the cabbage (be sure to throw away the core).
• Add a bit of water and cook the cabbage until soft.
• When the cabbage is soft, drain it off.
• Finely chop the onions and fry it with a bit of oil until it's caramelized and soft.
• Mix the cooked cabbage and onions together.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Divide the dough into the 2 or 3 pieces.
• Thinly roll each piece out onto a floured surface to just under 1/16 - 1/8" thickness.
• Use a round cookie cutter to cut the circles from the dough.
• Put the cabbage filling in the center of each circle. The more filling, the better, however, you need to be sure it stays inside pierogi. When the filling will get between the dough when sealing, pierogi may fall apart during the cooking.
• Pull the edges of each circle together to form pierogi. Make sure the seal is continuous and intact. You can't leave any free space, as pierogi will fall apart during the cooking. Pinch tightly.
• Collect the remaining dough scraps and put them to the other 2 dough pieces. Repeat the process until the entire dough and all the filling is used.
• Pour the water into the big pot. Add 2 pinches of salt. Boil.
• Gently throw pierogi, one by one into the boiling water.
• When they start floating, wait for a minute and take them out with the slotted spoon.
• Pour the melted butter or lard on top.