Uncle Bills Potatocheddar Filling For Perogies Recipes

UNCLE BILL'S POTATO/CHEDDAR FILLING FOR PEROGIES

Steps:

• In a medium size saucepan, add potatoes and just cover with water.
• Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• Drain and mash potatoes.
• Add grated cheese and mix well.
• Cheese will melt and will be incorporated with the potatoes.
• In a frying pan, add butter, chopped onions and garlic and saute' for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add saute'ed onion/garlic to the potatoes in the saucepan and mix well.
• Add beaten eggs, salt and pepper and mix well.
• The amount of filling to use will depend on the size of Mini Form you will be using.
• If using the 4" Mini Form, use 1 heaping tablespoon of filling.
• The filling mix handles best when cooled.

CHEF JOHN'S POTATO AND CHEESE PIEROGI

Steps:

• Prepare dough: Mix 3 ½ cups flour and salt together in a large bowl, then make a well in the center. Pour vegetable oil and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water into the well. Stir to form a shaggy dough that just pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Use a little flour to clean the dough off the spoon.
• Transfer dough to a work surface; press and knead for a few minutes until you have a smooth, soft dough. You can add a little more flour if it's too sticky but don't add too much. Form dough into a ball and wrap in plastic. Leave on the counter for 1 hour or pop it into the refrigerator for 3 hours to overnight.
• Prepare buttered onions: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let mixture cool a bit, then transfer to a bowl and reserve until needed.
• Prepare filling: Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and mash until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Place farmer's cheese in a bowl and break it up with a spoon. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne, then add 2 to 3 heaping spoons of the buttered onions. Be sure to drain off most of the butter so you're adding mostly onions. Mix just until ingredients are evenly combined.
• Add cooled mashed potatoes and mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside while you roll the dough.
• Roll ¼ of the dough at a time on a floured surface until very thin, at least 1/8-inch thick or thinner if possible. Cut 3 ½-inch circles out of the dough, saving all scraps for re-rolling.
• Add about 2 tablespoons filling to the center of each circle. Moisten your fingertips with water and wet the edges, then fold the dough over the filling and seal the two edges together in the center. Flatten the filling very lightly under the dough as you press and seal the edge of each pierogi with your fingers, working from the center to the ends. Try not to trap air in the pierogi as you seal. The edge can be left as is, or you can pinch the dough every inch or so to make pleats for a more decorative appearance.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pierogi in batches and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes (they may or may not float to the top.)
• While the pierogi are boiling, melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Transfer pierogi from the boiling water directly into the melted butter. Cook until light golden brown, about 2 minutes per side or longer if more browning is desired.
• Continue boiling and browning pierogi in batches as needed.
• Transfer to a plate and spoon buttered onions over top. Garnish with sour cream and chives.

POTATO AND CHEESE PIEROGIES

Steps:

• For the dough: Work the egg, sour cream, butter and salt in a small bowl with a whisk or fork to form a batter. Pour the flour onto a work surface and make a well in the center. Add the sour cream mixture and mix thoroughly with your hands until a dough forms. (The dough is ready to use right away but if you are not forming the pierogies immediately, wrap in plastic and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.)
• For the filling: Stir together the mashed potatoes, cheese and chives in a medium bowl until well combined. Chill the filling so it is easier to work with.
• To form the pierogies: Roll the dough mass out to 1/8-inch thickness and cut 3-inch rounds. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling in each round, and then fold over into half-moons, being careful not to push filling into the seam. Press closed and crimp with a fork if scalloped edges are preferred.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the pierogies and wait until they float, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain well.
• Serve with a dollop of sour cream and garnish with chives and a crack of black pepper.

POTATO AND CHEESE PIEROGI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain.
• Combine flour, eggs and salt. Mix in a little water at a time until dough is somewhat stiff. Roll dough in small sections about 1/4 inch thick. Using a large biscuit cutter or drinking glass, make circle cuts.
• To make filling: Mix together potatoes, cheese, salt, pepper and onion salt. Fill each with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture, fold over and seal edges. To cook, bring a large pot of water to boil, carefully dropping in one at a time; stir once. They are done when they float to the top.

VORENIKI (PEROGIES), POTATO/CHEDDAR CHEESE & ONION

Steps:

• DOUGH PREPARATION--------------.
• In a medium size mixing bowl, add eggs, milk, whipping cream, sour cream and salt and whisk well to blend.
• Add baking powder and stir in gently.
• In a large mixing bowl, add flour and egg mixture and mix well to incorporate.
• Add additional flour if necessary so that dough does not stick to bowl or feel sticky.
• Form dough into a ball and knead about 10 times.
• Divide dough in half, form into balls, cover with a damp cloth and set aside until ready to use.
• FILLING--------------.
• In a medium size saucepan, add potatoes and cover with water.
• Cook until potatoes are tender; drain.
• Mash potatoes, then add grated cheddar cheese, onion, salt and pepper and mix well to incorporate.
• Break off pieces of dough and form into balls, about the size of a golf ball.
• Roll out each ball of dough on a floured surface to about 1/16 inch thickness.
• Place dough into a 4 or 5 inch "MINI FORM" and make sure that the dough projects over the edges.
• Spoon about 1 to 2 tablespoons of filling into the centre, (depending to the size of Mini Form you are using). Place the form into one hand and lift the edge of the"MINI FORM" and slightly push the filling down with your finger.
• Now fold the"MINI FORM" completely over and squeeze.
• Remove excess dough by running your finger around the folded edges and set excess dough aside to be used again.
• Continue to form the Voreniki until all dough and filling are used up.
• As an alternate, if you do not have a "MINI-FORM", after rolling the dough out to 1/16 inch thickness, place a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center. Fold the dough over and crimp together. Then take a fork that is dipped in flour and press the edges to ensure a seal.
• If you have filling left over, cover and refrigerate to use later or form patties and fry.
• TO COOK--------------.
• Fill a pasta cooker or a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to a rolling boil.
• Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of salt to the water.
• When the water is in a rolling boil, drop in 6 formed Voreniki, stir once with a slotted spoon so that they do not stick together.
• Cook for about 2 minutes or until they rise to the surface in about 1 1/2 minutes of cooking and continue to cook for the full 2 minutes.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a bowl.
• If desired, add some melted butter to coat.
• Serve immediately with additional melted butter, a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and a sprinkling of chopped green onions or chives.
• To reheat, you can drop them again into boiling water for about 1 1/2 minutes.
• Or you can fry them in a small amount of butter, cover and fry on medium-high heat for about 1 minute on each side or until golden brown.
• The Voreniki freeze very well.
• Place on a tray or a cookie sheet in one layer and freeze.
• Then package them in zip-loc bags or vacuum seal bags in quanties as desired.
• To reheat frozen Voreniki; let thaw for about 1/2 hour and then fry in a small amount of butter as noted above.

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.