Uncle Bills Blueberry Filling For Peroshky Recipes

UNCLE BILL'S BLUEBERRY FILLING FOR PEROGIES

Steps:

• If you are using frozen berries, thaw first before using.
• In a bowl, mix together sugar and tapioca starch, mix well.
• Place blueberries in a large bowl and pour sugar/tapicoa mixture over and mix well to coat.
• Now add lemon juice and mix well.
• In a smaller mixing bowl, mix together 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/4 cup tapioca starch.
• Prepare dough rounds to use in your Mini Form.
• Place dough over Mini Form.
• Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of sugar/tapioca starch mixture over the middle of the dough in the Mini Form.
• Now add 1 tablespoon of blueberries and close Mini Form, remove excess dough.
• Continue with the remainder of the blueberry mixture.

BLUEBERRY PIEROGIES

Steps:

• Bring a pasta pot filled with water to a boil.
• Meanwhile, place the flour on a clean work surface. Create a well in the center and add the egg, oil and salt to the well. Using a fork, beat the wet ingredients together. Pour about 1/2 cup of the warm water into the egg mixture. Using the fork, slowly begin incorporating some of the flour into the wet ingredients. Add 1/4 cup more of the warm water. As the dough begins to come together, use a bench scraper to start incorporating more flour. A shaggy dough will begin to form. Add 1/4 cup more of the warm water and continue to mix the dough. At this point, depending on the temperature and humidity, you may need to add more water; you are looking for a smooth dough that's not too sticky. If you added too much water, sprinkle some more flour over the dough and continue kneading until smooth. Once the dough is formed, knead it until smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and let rest 5 minutes.
• Fill a small bowl with water. Roll the dough out until it is thin enough to see your fingers through it, about 1/16 inch thick. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter to cut out rounds. Place 3 to 5 blueberries on one half of each round. Dab a finger in the water and wet the edges of the dough, then fold the dough over and press the edges to seal each into a half-moon. Repeat with all the rounds.
• Working in batches, drop the pierogis into the boiling water. Cook until they float, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the pierogis with a slotted spoon to a baking sheet or platter and sprinkle with the sugar while they are still warm.
• Meanwhile, for the sweet dipping sauce: Whisk together the sour cream, sugar, vanilla paste and salt in a medium bowl. Serve the warm pierogis with the sauce.

UNCLE BILL'S PEROGIE DOUGH

Steps:

• In a large size mixing bowl, mix together eggs, milk, whipping cream, sour cream and salt and whisk until well blended.
• Add baking powder and blend until incorporated.
• Add flour one cup at a time and whisk well the first two cups.
• Add the third cup and now mix using a large plastic spoon or a wooden spoon.
• Add the fourth cup and continue mixing with a spoon.
• At this point, you may not be able to pick up all the flour, so roll out the contents onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and shiny.
• If the dough is still sticky add a bit more flour and continue to knead until it is not sticky and does not stick to your hands.
• Break dough off into chunks and roll between your hands to the size of a golf ball.
• On a lightly floured surface, firstly flatten the dough ball with the palm of your hand to about 1/2-inch thickness, then coat each side very lightly with some flour.
• Using a heavy rolling pin, (I prefer a marble rolling pin), start to roll out the dough.
• As you are rolling, the dough should stick to the rolling pin.
• When this happens and the dough is almost all the way around the rolling pin, peel the dough off as it should come off very easy.
• Place the dough back on the rolling surface with the side that was against the rolling pin should now be on the rolling surface.
• Very lightly, dust the top surface ONLY with a bit of flour.
• Start rolling again, roll back and forth, then side to side to try and keep the dough round.
• The dough should now be sticking to the rolling surface and not onto the rolling pin.
• You will note that the dough does not "snap" back to a smaller round.
• Should this happen, just re-roll again.
• When finished rolling, the dough should be about 1/16-inch in thickness.
• Open the Mini Form (photo above) and rub the surface with some flour, this will prevent the dough from sticking to the Mini Form.
• Place the rolled dough over the Mini Form and make sure that the dough is well over the edges of the Mini Form.
• Place about 1 heaping tablespoon of your choice of filling in the center of the dough.
• Pick the Mini Form up and close it slightly.
• If necessary, push the filling down just a bit.
• Now fold the Mini Form completely shut and press tightly.
• Hold the Mini Form closed and remove excess dough with your thumb or finger. This helps seal the edges of the dough.
• Use the excess dough to form more dough balls.
• Open the Mini Form and the perogi should drop out easily.
• Set perogi aside until you prepare more.
• Continue to make perogies with the remaining dough.
• You can use whatever size of Mini Form that you desire, the 3 1/4" or 4". Five and 6" Mini Forms are also available.
• COOKING INSTRUCTIONS.
• In a large cooking pot or pasta pot, fill 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil.
• Add 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or a good vegetable oil.
• Gently add about 8 to 10 perogies to the pot, stir gently with a slotted spoon and bring back to boil.
• Cook, uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes or until perogies float to the surface.
• Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl.
• The perogies may be eaten immediately with some butter or margarine, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chopped green onions or chives.
• The amount of perogies may vary depending on the size of Mini Form you are using.
• If desired, preheat a frying pan to medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil.
• Add some finely chopped onions to the frying pan and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Now add the perogies, cover and lightly fry until they are lightly browned on both sides, turning once.
• Serve immediately with more butter if desired, a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onions or chives and even some cooked chopped bacon bits.
• These perogies freeze well.
• After the perogies are boiled, place them on a cookie sheet (absorb any water with paper towels).
• Place sheet in freezer for at least 2 hours until perogies are frozen.
• Place them into freezer bags or vacuum seal bags in whatever quantities are best for you and return the sealed units back to the freezer.
• The perogies will last from 6 months to 1 year when frozen.

UKRAINIAN BLUEBERRY VARENYKY W. BLUEBERRY SAUCE (PEROGY/PIEROGI)

Steps:

• FOR THE SAUCE: In saucepan, stir together blueberries, sugar and flour; add lemon juice and 1/4 cup water. Simmer over low heat until blueberries are soft and sauce is thickened, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• FOR THE DOUGH: In large bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. In separate bowl, whisk together egg, milk and butter; stir into flour mixture. Add cold water, 1 tablespoons at a time (6 to 7 tablespoons total), until soft dough is formed. Knead until dough is smooth. Cover with plastic and let rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll dough to scant 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out 3 inch rounds.
• FILLING: Whisk together sugar and flour; set aside. Stretch out cut out dough rounds slightly and fill each round with scant 1 teaspoons flour/ sugar mixture and 1 tablespoons blueberries. Pull dough over filling; pinch edges together to seal.
• Continue until dough and filling are used up, letting reworked scraps rest slightly before rolling (keep unrolled dough and filled dumplings covered with a clean tea towel).
• In large pot of lightly salted boiled water, boil dumpling, in batches if necessary, until dough is tender at thickest edges, about 10 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon to serving plate; drizzle with butter to prevent sticking. Serve with blueberry sauce and sour cream on the side. Makes 32 to 36 dumplings.
• FOOD TIP: any leftover dough can be rolled into noodles, boiled and served with butter or sour cream.

UNCLE BILL'S VARIETY OF FRUIT FILLINGS FOR PYROSHKY

Steps:

• If using strawberries, remove hulls, wash and slice.
• If using raspberries, huckleberries, use whole.
• If using rhubarb, cut into small pieces.
• If using cherries, pit first.
• If using peaches or apricots, remove stones and cut fruit into pieces.
• In a mixing bowl, mix together sugar and tapioca starch, mix well to blend.
• Add sugar/tapioca starch mixture to fruit and mix well to coat.
• Let sit for 5 minutes before using.
• Fill pastry cups with 1 1/2 tablespoons of your choice of fruit mixture.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar to each tart.
• Bake in preheated 400 F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until crust is just lightly browned.

PIEROGI WITH BLUEBERRY FILLING AND SPICED SOUR CREAM

Steps:

• Make filling:Crush 2 cups blueberries with your hands. Toss with remaining 6 cups whole blueberries and the sugar. For each pierogi, use 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons filling.
• Make Spiced Sour Cream:Mix together sour cream, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and nutmeg. Serve chilled. Makes 1 cup