Pierogies are filled dumplings with origins in Central and Eastern Europe. They are made by cooking the unleavened dough in boiling water or by pan-frying. Pierogies consist of noodle dough and are filled with a variety of ingredients.
They are considered national dishes in many countries in Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in Poland. Pierogi-like dumplings are common in Jewish and modern-day American Ashkenazi cuisines. However, they sometimes have different local names.
Typical fillings include potatoes, sauerkraut, ground meat, fruit, and cheese. A topping, such as melted butter, sour cream, or fried onion, or a mix of those ingredients can be used to serve the dumplings.
Polish Pierogies
- Author: Romae Chanice Marquez
- Recipe Category: Snacks
- Cuisine: Polish
The whole preparation and cooking time is 1 hour. This recipe is suitable for at least 8 servings.
Photo credit: @plantifullybased / Instagram.com
Polish Pierogies Ingredients
For the dough,
- 3 large eggs
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
For the filling,
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- dash of pepper
- 18 ounces soft farmer cheese or whole-milk ricotta cheese
- 4 tablespoons butter, divided
- sour cream, optional
Polish Pierogies Instructions
Step 1: Whisk the eggs, water, and salt in a large bowl until mixed. Then, slowly whisk in flour. Move to a floured surface. Knead 10-12 times and shape a firm dough. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rest for ten minutes.
Step 2: For the filling, whisk egg, salt, sugar, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir in some cheese.
Step 3: Divide the dough into four parts. Roll each section into 1/8-inches, on a lightly floured surface. Then, cut 4-in circles out of the rolled out dough. Place one spoonful of filling in each circle center. Moist the edges with water; fold in half, and press the edges to seal them. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Step 4: In a 6-qt. stockpot, bring water to a boil. In batches, add pierogi and reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook for 2-3 minutes until pierogi float to the top and are soft. Use a slotted spoon to remove them from the water — heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Step 5: Add the pierogi in batches; cook 1-3 minutes on each side until golden brown and add additional butter as required.
Step 6: Serve with sour cream if needed.
Polish Pierogies Additional Information
- Per serving, this recipe has 240 calories, 5mg of cholesterol, 450mg of sodium, 46g of total carbohydrates.
- This recipe will make enough to serve 8 people.
- These pierogies will take about 1 hour to make.
- The dough, which is made by combining flour and warm water, sometimes with an egg, is rolled flat. Then, it is cut into circles using a cup or drinking glass.
- The dough can be made with mashed potatoes, creating a smoother texture. Another common variant among Czechs and Slovaks is using flour and curd dough with eggs, salt, and water.
Image source: chopsecrets.com
About Polish Pierogies Recipe
Pierogi may be filled with mashed potatoes, fried onions, farmer cheese, cabbage, sauerkraut, beef, mushrooms, or spinach. The recipe may also include many other ingredients, depending on the tastes of the chef. Dessert variants of the dumpling can be filled with sweetened fresh fruit filling such as peach, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, apple or plum. Sour cream may be added to the dough mixture for more flavor, and this helps to lighten the dough.
Conclusion
Pierogies are cooked until they float. Then they are sometimes fried or baked in butter. For international dessert recipes, click here.
Featured Image: @doktormikel / Instagram.com, @weganon, Instagram.com
