Pierogi - polish dumplings

10 servings

Ingredients

QuantityIngredient
2cupsSour cream
cupAll-purpose flour
2tablespoonsButter; melted
1cupDry curd cottage cheese
1teaspoonButter; melted
1Egg; beaten
1smallYellow onion, peeled; finely chopped
1ounceDried mushrooms, soak 1/2 hour in 1 c water
2tablespoonsButter
2Eggs plus 1 egg yolk
2teaspoonsSalt
2tablespoonsVegetable oil
2tablespoonsSugar
1tablespoonLemon juice; fresh
2cupsSauerkraut, fresh, rinsed, drained; finely chopped
Salt; to taste
Black pepper, freshly ground; to taste

Directions

PIEROGI

CHEESE FILLING

SAUERKRAUT/MUSHROOM FILLING

Recipe by: The Frugal Gourmet On Our Immigrant Ancestors In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients and knead into a soft, pliable dough.

Cut in half and let rest, covered, for 10 mins. Roll out each half into a thin circle. Using a drinking glass, cut the dough into round circles and fill them with desired filling (recipes follow). Place less than a Tbs of filling in the center of each circle and fold over. Press and seal into a half moon. You may want to rub a bit of water on the edges in order to get a great seal. Cook for 10 mins in boiling salted water. Drain. They can be pan-fried in butter at this point, if you wish, for a really tasty finish.

CHEESE FILLING: Run the cheese through a ricer, or a coarse sieve.

Then mix well with everything else.

SAUERKRAUT/MUSHROOM FILLING: Soak the mushroom and drain them through a fine sieve. Chop the mushrooms finely. Pan-fry the onion and mushrooms in the butter until the onion is clear. Add the sauerkraut and salt and pepper. Cook for about 15 mins and cool.

CABBAGE/MUSHROOM FILLING: The same as the filling above but use 2 cups finely shredded cabbage instead of sauerkraut.

POTATO/CHEESE FILLING: Boil peeled potatoes, about 1½ lbs, drain and mash with a little butter and milk. Add grated sharp Cheddar cheese to the potatoes and cool ( the more cheese the tastier). Taste for salt and pepper.

MEAT FILLINGS: Various cooked meats may be used such as turkey, beef, pork, etc. Simply grind the meat, add raw egg, salt and pepper, and any additional desired seasonings, such as dill, parsley, or chives.

From: Dan Klepach