Ingredients
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Dough
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300 g All purpose Flour
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1 pcs Egg
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150 ml water lukewarm
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1 tablespoon Salt
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Filling
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250 g Potatoes peeled and diced
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200 g cheese Mozzarella
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150 g onion peeled and finely chopped
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20 g Butter
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1 tablespoon Salt
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a pinch Black pepper
Directions
What Does Pierogi Mean?
Polish pierogi, also spelt as perogi, are homemade, half-moon-shaped dumplings that are stuffed with ingredients such as mashed potatoes, meats, cheese, and sauerkraut. The word has Proto-Slavic roots, and when translated means “pie”. It is also used as a generic term for dumplings.
Pierogi Recipe Origin
There are many theories as to how it arrived in Poland in the 13th century. One is that Marco Polo brought it with him from China.
Another version is that Saint Hyacinth of Poland, the patron saint of drowning, instructed the villagers of Koscielec to pray for protection during the storm, which had destroyed all of their crops. When the storm cleared the next day, the crops miraculously regrew. The people thanked Saint Hyacinth for preparing pierogi using those crops.
Traditionally, it is served in Polish households during holidays like Easter and Christmas Eve. Because Polish families observed fasting on Christmas Eve, the traditional version was meatless and dairy-free. In the summer, a sweeter version was made with fruits and berries. On special occasions such as weddings, it would be filled with chicken meat. They’re kind of like Empanadas from Colombia or Ravioli from Italy!
No one knows the true history of pierogi, but one thing is for sure — people love its taste. However, the recipe has ventured outside of Poland and has become popular in p British Columbia, Ireland, and Germany.
How to Cook?
The recipe involves many steps, but don’t let that discourage you! You’ll be glad that you made your own instead of buying one from the supermarket. The good news is that there’s no single way to make pierogi, so you can use as many (or as few) ingredients as you want.
The taste largely depends on its filling — whether you want to follow the traditional pierogi recipe of potatoes and cheese, or you want to get creative by cooking sweet blueberry pierogi, the filling is entirely up to you. However, for this guide, I’ll teach you how to make authentic pierogi that traditional Polish grandmothers would make.
Authentic pierogi were garnished with fried onions, pork rinds, and lardons, but these toppings may be traded for sauces and fresh herbs such as chives, thyme, rosemary, or basil. The most traditional way to enjoy a serving is with a topping of caramelized onions and bacon.
Pierogi recipe has even made its way into my kitchen! I’ve found that it is best served as finger food at parties – they’re so delectable and bite-sized, I can’t stop popping them into my mouth!
Steps
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1
Done
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In a saucepan, cook the potatoes for about 15-20 minutes until fork tender. When the potatoes are cooked, remove them from water and mash roughly with a fork or potato masher. |
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2
Done
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Meanwhile, heat the butter in the saucepan and sauté the onion until it becomes translucent. |
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3
Done
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Now simply put the warm mashed potatoes, sautéed onions, butter and cheese in a bowl, and then mash them together until the cheese has melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. |
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4
Done
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To make the dough, mix flour, eggs, water, and salt. Let it cool inside the refrigerator for 15 min, before rolling it evenly onto a flat surface. Using a round cookie cutter, cut the dough into 2-inch circles. |
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5
Done
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And now for the fun part -- filling the pierogi. Drop a teaspoonful of filling into the centre of the circular dough. Fold the dough in half and then pinch the edges to seal. |
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6
Done
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Drop the filled dumplings into boiling water. You’ll know that they’re cooked when the pierogi float to the top. Scoop them out and leave them to cool for a few minutes. |
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7
Done
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Finally, fry the boiled pierogi in a buttered pan until the edges are crisp and golden. |
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8
Done
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Serve with sour cream and fried bacon lardons. |
