Team Pierogi People will teach YOU to make PERFECT Polish Pierogis

Updated Pierogis

Pierogis are one of the delicacies that fall under the category of Holiday Family Food Traditions. These foods are defined (at least by me) by being work intensive, best created with all of the family generations present, made just for certain holidays, make a mess of your kitchen but produce much laughter and warm memories. My family is Polish and we ate meatless versions of pierogis traditionally on Christmas Eve. I have memories of my mother and aunts handmaking several varieties in the days leading up to the big holiday. Late in my dad’s life, when he was staying with me, my Christmas gift to him was to make traditional pierogis. However, I was flying by the seat of my pants as I had NEVER made them growing up. So, after reading a few cookbooks and experimenting, I came up with a pretty foolproof, but still appropriately time-consuming version of pierogis.

Please enjoy Team Pierogi People’s instructional video. It is way too long, but darn it, you will be able to make these pierogis after watching.

Mashed Potatoes

• 2 lbs of potatoes. I use a mix of russet and Yukon gold. Peeled and cubed.
• Salt
• 4 TBLS butter
• 1/4 cup of Half and Half
• Ground pepper

• Fill a large pot with cold water. Add the potatoes and 1/2 TBLS salt.
• Heat to boiling and then turn down heat to simmer for 15 minutes.
• Drain potatoes well in a colander. Return potatoes to warm pot.
• Add butter, Half and Half, and several grounds of pepper.
• Mash or use a hand mixer to blend ingredients until no lumps remain.
• Taste and add additional salt and pepper as needed
• Store for further use in the rest of this recipe.

Pierogi Filling

• Half of a white or sweet onion, diced finely
• 1 TBLS butter
• 1 cup freshly grated cheese. This is dependent on your tastes. People like Farmer’s Cheese, Cheddar, Gouda, Edam. I use a medium cheddar.
• 2 cups of mashed potatoes
• Salt and Pepper

• Sauté onion in butter in a small frying pan until translucent and golden, 5-6 minutes.
• Add mashed potatoes, cheese and sauteed onions into the bowl of your food processor. Pulse to mix well.
• Taste and add salt and pepper if needed.
• Set aside.

Pierogi Dough

• 3 cups of flour
• 1 ½ TSP salt
• 1/4 cup mashed potatoes
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 egg
• ~1 cup cold water
• 1 or 2 egg yolks in a small bowl
• Salt for water
• Melted butter

• Place flour, salt, mashed potatoes, butter and egg into the clean bowl of your food processor.
• Remove pusher from the feeding tube at the top of the food processor.
• Turn on food processor. Use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl and continue to process until the ingredients resemble corn meal.
• Slowly pour cold water down the feeding tube into the mixture while processing.
• You will note a sudden change in the dough when you have added between 1/2 cup and 3/4 cup of water. The dough will coalesce into a smooth, elastic ball.
• Remove dough from processor. Place in a warm bowl and cover with a towel. Let rest in a warm spot for 15-30 minutes.(Hint: Make the dough first, and then the filling while the dough rests)
• Place dough on a floured surface. Use a knife or pastry cutter to divide the ball into fourths. Reserve 3 pieces in the bowl.
• Taking the remaining piece of dough and coat with a little flour. Begin rolling the dough into a thin square, rotating the dough a few times to keep the square shape.
• Traditionally we would use a cookie cutter or drinking glass to cut circles in the dough and then fill with potato/cheese mix, BUT we found “Hunky Bill’s BIG Pierogi Maker” on Amazon. Crazy but it works!
• Place Pierogi Maker on the counter. Gently lift rolled out dough and place over Pierogi Maker covering the entire surface with dough. Gently indent the dough over the pierogi shaped holes.
• Fill each of the indentations with the cheese/potato filling, about 1 TBLS per pierogi.
• Break up egg yolks with a fork, and using your finger, gently trace egg yolk around each pierogi shape.
• Take a second piece of dough. Flour and roll it out thinly also in a square shape to match the shape of the Pierogi Maker.
• Gently lift rolled out dough and place over the first batch of dough on the Pierogi Maker. Gently flatten doughs with your hands.
• Take your rolling pin and firmly roll it over the Pierogi Maker, both doughs and filling. Because the Maker has upright plastic ridges you will be cutting away the dough leaving the now made pierogis in the individual openings of the Pierogi Maker.
• Gently pop out the now formed and sealed pierogis from “Hunky Bill’s BIG Pierogi Maker”. I do an extra crimp of the pierogis with my fingers or a pastry cutter to make sure they do not pop open when cooked.
• Boil water in a large Dutch oven and add a TBLS of salt.
• Place a few pierogis into the pot at a time to not crowd. Boil for about 12 minutes. Test dough for doneness, but it usually takes 10-15 minutes to cook depending on the thinness of your dough.
• Remove with slotted spoon. Enjoy with melted butter, sour cream or plain.
• Repeat process with last 2 pieces of dough. Makes 36 pierogis total.
• To store: Dip each cooked pierogi in butter or use a pastry brush. Place in layers in a flat container with parchment or wax paper separating the layers. May be frozen or refrigerated.
• To re-warm: Melt butter in a large frying pan. Sauté pierogi until they are golden brown on both sides, 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy. Na Zdrowie!

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