Moms Best Pierogies Recipes

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.

THE CLASSIC PIEROGI (POTATO AND CHEESE)

Steps:

• Cook potatoes in salty water until you can easily pierce them with a fork. Drain water from cooked potatoes. Mash them with some warm milk and butter. Mix in cheese.
• Whisk eggs with sour cream and milk until you get an even texture.
• To the liquid ingredients, add in flour and salt.
• Knead the dough by hand or by using a standing mixer. Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes once fully kneaded and elastic.
• Roll out the dough on a well floured surface. Cut circles out of the dough using a cookie cutter or a floured glass cup.
• One by one, spoon filling into dough dough. Fold the dough over to create a quesadilla or empanada shape. Pinch edges together with your fingers to seal the filling inside.
• Flour the surface where you plan to place pierogi. Note: You can freeze the pierogi at this point and save them for later.
• Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. One by one, add pierogi into the boiling water. Once they float to the top (10-15 minutes into the cooking), they are fully cooked.
• In a buttered pan, sauté onion to a golden brown. Add pierogi to pan. Fry sides of pierogi to a golden brown.

THE VERY BEST POTATO PIEROGI RECIPE

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, blend together the flour and salt on low speed.
• Whisk together the milk, egg and sour cream. Slowly add the milk mixture to the flour in a steady stream.
• Continue to blend the flour mixture together until a shaggy dough forms and the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
• Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour.
• Add the potatoes to a pot and fill with water to just cover the potatoes. Stir in the salt and bring the potatoes to a boil.
• Turn the heat to low and continue cooking the potatoes until fork tender, approximately 20 minutes.
• While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add the onions to the pan. Cook until caramelized and golden brown, approximately 20 minutes.
• Drain the potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.
• Add the onions, cottage cheese and cream cheese to the potatoes. Mash using a potato masher until well blended.
• Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to approximately 1/4 inch thick. Cut out rounds with a 2 3/4-inch cutter. Place on a baking sheet, and cover with plastic wrap.
• Using your hands, lightly flatten the dough disk to stretch it out a bit.
• Place approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons potato filling in the center of the dough and fold the top half down over filling, gently pressing to squeeze out any air and seal by pinched the seam together.
• Return to baking sheet and cover.
• Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 4 dumplings. Cook, stirring gently to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot, until dumplings rise to the surface, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with paper towels, and pat dry. Transfer to a serving platter, and cover with foil to keep warm.
• Repeat with remaining pierogies.
• Serve with melted butter, caramelized onions and sour cream, if desired.

POTATO PIEROGI

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.

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 PITTSBURGH PIEROGIES WITH SOUR CREAM

Steps:

• To prepare the pierogi dough, mix together the flour and salt.
• Beat the egg; add all at once to the flour mixture.
• Add the 1/2 cup sour cream and the softened butter pieces and work until the dough loses most of its stickiness (about 5 to 7 minutes). You can use a food processor with a dough hook for this, but be careful not to overbeat.
• Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes or overnight; the dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
• Each batch of dough makes about 12 to 15 pierogies, depending on size.
• Roll the pierogi dough on a floured board or countertop until 1/8" thick.
• Cut circles of dough (2" for small pierogies and 3-3 1/2" for large pierogies) with a cookie cutter or drinking glass.
• Place a small ball of filling (about a tablespoon) on each dough round and fold the dough over, forming a semi-circle.
• Press the edges together with the tines of a fork.
• Boil the perogies a few at a time in a large pot of water. They are done when they float to the top (about 8-10 minutes).
• Rinse in cool water and let dry.
• Saute chopped onions in butter in a large pan until onions are soft.
• Add pierogies and pan fry until lightly crispy.
• Serve with a side of sour cream for a true Pittsburgh pierogi meal.
• Potato, Cheese & Onion Filling:
• Peel and boil 5 large potatoes until soft. Red potatoes are especially good for this.
• While the potatoes are boiling, finely chop 1 large onion and saute in butter until soft and translucent.
• Mash the potatoes with the sauted onions and 4 to 8 oz of grated cheddar cheese (depending on how cheesy you want your pierogies), adding salt and pepper to taste.
• You can also add some fresh parsley, bacon bits, chives, or other enhancements if you desire.
• Let the potato mixture cool and then form into 1" balls.

MOM'S BEST PIEROGIES

Steps:

• Sauté onions with the butter in a medium sized skillet until translucent.
• Boil potatoes in a large pot of water until they are soft (about 8 minutes).
• Drain.
• Add the cubed cheese and sautéed onions/butter to the drained potatoes and mash (the cheese will melt and combine with the potatoes and onions).
• While potatoes are boiling, combine all dough ingredients and knead on a board or table top for about 5 minutes or until dough does not stick to your hands.
• Add more flour as you knead if necessary.
• Separate dough into two pieces and cover bowl with a towel or plastic wrap.
• Allow dough to rest for 20-30 minutes.
• While dough is resting, make balls (about the size of a walnut) out of the potato mixture by rolling the mixture between the palms of your hands.
• Place balls on a waxed paper-lined pizza sheet or board and place another sheet of waxed paper on top.
• Set aside.
• Roll out one of the two dough pieces gently on a lightly floured board or table top.
• Flour dough sparingly as you roll it out, so it doesn't stick to the rolling pin.
• Flip the dough over from time to time as you roll it out until it is about 15 inches in diameter (dough should be about 1/8 inch thick).
• Repeat with second piece of dough.
• Cut out dough circles using a drinking glass or cup that is about 2 3/4 inches in diameter.
• Flour your finger tips as you go along.
• Place a potato ball in the middle of each dough cut-out.
• Gently pull the dough over the potato ball and carefully seal ends of dough so it forms a semi-circle (you can seal by pinching end of dough with fingers or you can seal with the end/tines of a fork).
• Make sure there are no air bubbles in the pierogies.
• Boil pierogies on low heat in a large uncovered pot of water (add a teaspoon of oil to water first).
• Boil in batches, 10-15 pierogies at a time, 5 minutes per batch.
• Pierogies will float.
• Drain pierogies and transfer to serving bowl.
• You can pour melted butter and/or extra sautéed onions over top, or serve with dollops of sour cream on top of each pierogi.