Easy Pierogi Recipe
Pierogi is a traditional Polish dumpling dish. The dumplings can savory – stuffed with meat, or cheese and potato – or sweet. Here, I’m focusing on the cheese and potato pierogi, often called ‘ruskie’, or Russian, pierogi. They’re a cheap and relatively easy meal to make, and the product can be frozen for reheating in the future. Serve boiled or pan-fried.
Makes 40 dumplings
Ingredients
Filling
1 lb potatoes (red potatoes work best)
8 oz Farmer’s Cottage Cheese
4 onions
4 oz butter
Dough
2 ½ All-purpose flour
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup warm water
Salt to season
Serve with dill and sour cream
Method
- Cut the potatoes into quarters, place in a large pan of salted water and bring to the boil. Cook until tender. Drain the water and place potatoes in a large bowl. Mash until smooth.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, cook until golden, stirring when necessary.
- For the dough, pour flour into large mixing bowl, add a pinch of salt. Combine egg and warm water with flour, adding more water if needed. The dough should not be sticky. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into three parts, place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside for 15 minutes to rest.
- While the dough is resting, add cottage cheese to mashed potatoes and stir in a quarter of the onion-butter mixture. Mix well using clean hands. Season with salt and pepper.
- Dust work surface with flour and roll out dough until paper thin. Using a 3.5 inch pastry cutter, cut as many dough circles as possible (it should be around 8). Place a tablespoon of potato mixture in the center of the circle. Using a pastry brush dipped in water, brush around the edge of the circle and fold over to enclose filling. Make sure there are no air pockets.
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Cook pierogi in batches of 4, for 3 minutes, or until they rise to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain excess water.
- Reheat the rest of the onions in the skillet, add pierogi and lightly fry until golden and crisp on the outside. Serve with dill and sour cream, if desired.