Pierogi are traditional Polish dumplings that are usually served on Christmas Eve but can be enjoyed year round. There are a variety of sweet or savory options for the stuffing, but a popular choice is potatoes. It might seem like a lot of work, but making the perfect potato pierogi is actually easier than you think.
Instructions
Making the Dough
1. Prepare the dough by mixing 2 cups flour and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Then beat 1 egg with 2 tablespoons of sour cream, 1 cup milk and 1 cup water. Combine everything with the flour mixture.
2. Knead the dough on a flat surface and keep adding flour (about a half cup total) until it becomes smooth. If your pierogi dough becomes too tough, pour in a few drops of hot water until you feel it soften up.
3. Place the dough into a covered container and let it stand at room temperature for an hour. While it is resting, you will have time to make the filling.
Making the Filling
4. Peel about 10 potatoes and drop them into a pot of salted, . Cover the pot and give them about 15 to 20 minutes to fully cook.
5. Chop 1 large onion and saute in a large skillet with a tablespoon of butter while the potatoes are cooking. Keep stirring until you see them become soft and translucent. Once that happens, remove from heat and set aside.
6. Mash the fully cooked potatoes in a large bowl and add the sauteed onions. Once the two are fully incorporated, stir in a cup of shredded cheese (gruyere or cheddar work best) and season with salt and pepper. You can even spice up your filling by adding crisped bacon, chives or flavored cream cheese.
Assembling and Cooking the Pierogi
7. Take the dough and roll it out on a floured surface until it is very thin. Use a glass cup or cookie cutter to create circles that are even-sized. Take pieces of the leftover dough and keep kneading over and over so that you use every last bit of available dough.
8. Place a one-inch ball of the filling onto the center of each piece of dough. Fold the dough over to one side, forming a half-circle, and lightly moisten the edges so that they stick together. Drop them into another pot of and wait a few minutes for them to rise to the surface.
9. Drain the pierogis and serve them immediately topped with sour cream or melted butter.
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