Mushroom Pierogi And Nalesniki Filling Recipes

MUSHROOM PIEROGI

Steps:

• Remove stems from shiitake mushrooms, and trim stems of white and cremini mushrooms. Place mushrooms in a food processor, and pulse about eight times, until finely chopped. Set aside.
• In a medium saute pan, melt butter and oil over low heat; add shallots. Cook, covered, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, lemon juice, salt, and pepper, and mix well. Raise heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is nearly dry, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add cream, thyme, and parsley, and cook about 1 minute. Transfer to a medium bowl.
• To form dumplings, place a heaping teaspoon of the filling toward the front of a circle of pierogi dough. Moisten the edges of the dough with water, and fold in half around filling to form a semicircle, firmly pinching the edges closed. Set aside on a lightly floured baking sheet. Continue to fill and form pierogi, keeping them covered with plastic wrap, until all the dough has been used.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add half the pierogi. Boil gently until they float to the surface, about 2 minutes, and continue cooking for another 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, and repeat with remaining pierogi. Serve immediately.

WILD MUSHROOM PIEROGIES

Steps:

• Make filling:
• Pour boiling water over porcini in a small bowl and soak until softened,10 to 20 minutes. Lift porcini out of water, squeezing excess liquid back into bowl, and rinse well to remove any grit. Pour soaking liquid through a paper-towel-lined sieve into a bowl and reserve.
• Finely chop onion and garlic in a food processor, then add cremini and porcini and pulse until very finely chopped.
• Heat butter in a skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook mushroom mixture, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are dry and 1 shade darker, about 8 minutes. Add reserved soaking liquid and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture is thick, dry, and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes (there will be about 1 cup filling). Stir in parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Cool completely.
• Roll out dough and fill pierogies:
• Halve dough and roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface into a 15-inch round, keeping remaining dough wrapped. Cut out rounds (about 24) with floured cutter. Put 1 teaspoon filling in center of each round. Working with 1 round at a time, moisten edges with water and fold in half to form a half-moon, pinching edges together to seal. Transfer pierogies as assembled to a flour-dusted kitchen towel. Repeat with remaining rounds, then make more pierogies with remaining dough and filling.
• Cook onions and pierogies:
• Cook onions in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderately low heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
• Cook pierogies in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water until tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to skillet with onions. Toss gently to coat and serve immediately.