Old Fashioned Pierogies Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, sour cream, eggs, egg yolk and oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour until well blended. Cover the bowl with a towel, and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Place potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, and mash with shredded cheese and cheese sauce while still hot. Season with onion salt, salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
• Separate the perogie dough into two balls. Roll out one piece at a time on a lightly floured surface until it is thin enough to work with, but not too thin so that it tears. Cut into circles using a cookie cutter, perogie cutter, or a glass. Brush a little water around the edges of the circles, and spoon some filling into the center. Fold the circles over into half-circles, and press to seal the edges. Place perogies on a cookie sheet, and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to freezer storage bags or containers.
• To cook perogies: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop perogies in one at a time. They are done when they float to the top. Do not boil too long, or they will be soggy! Remove with a slotted spoon.

Steps:

• Potato and Cheese Filling: Cook the onion in butter until tender.
• Combine it with potatoes and cheese.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Vary the proportions and ingredients in this recipe to suit your taste.
• Mix the flour with the salt in a deep bowl.
• Add the egg, oil and water to make a medium soft dough.
• Knead on a floured board until the dough is smooth.
• Caution: Too much kneading will toughen the dough.
• Divide the dough into 2 parts.
• Cover and let stand for at least 10 minutes.
• Prepare the filling.
• The filling should be thick enough to hold its shape.
• Roll the dough quite thin on a floured board.
• Cut rounds with a large biscuit cutter, or as most old-world grandmothers did, with the open end of a glass.
• Put the round in the palm of your hand.
• Place a spoonful of filling in it, fold over to form a half circle and press the edges together with the fingers.
• The edges should be free of filling.
• Be sure the edges are sealed well to prevent the filling from running out.
• Place the pierogi on a floured board or tea towel and then cover with another tea towel to prevent them from drying out.
• COOKING: Drop a few pierogies into a large quantity of rapidly boiling salted water.
• Do not attempt to cook too many at a time.
• Stir VERY gently with a wooden spoon to separate them and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Continue boiling for 3-4 minutes.
• The cooling period will depend upon the size you made it, the thickness of the dough and the filling.
• Pierogies will be ready when they are puffed.
• Remove them with a perforated spoon or skimmer to a colander and drain thoroughly.
• Place in a deep dish, sprinkle generously with melted butter to prevent them from sticking.
• Cover and keep them hot until all are cooked.
• Serve in a large dish without piling or crowding them.
• Top with melted butter- chopped crisp bacon and/or chopped onions lightly browned in butter.
• REHEATING: One of the great things about perogies, is that they can be made in large quantities, refrigerated, frozen and reheated without loss of quality.
• Many prefer reheated perogies as compared to freshly boiled ones.
• To re-heat, you can: 1) pan fry pierogies in butter or bacon fat until they are light in color or, 2) heat the pierogies in the top of a double boiler or in the oven until they are hot and plump or, 3) deep fry them.

Steps:

• Add flour to a mixer and make a well. Add the two eggs to the well with 1/2 cup of water. Mix all ingredients until the mixture is smooth. Add more water or flour so that the dough isn't too sticky or runny. Flour a large cutting board, pastry slab, or the counter, like I do. Roll the dough out to about 1/8 of an inch. Cut circle out with the top of a glass or ramekin. Fill the circle with 1 teaspoon of mashed potatoes, then fold the dough circle in half, sealing in the potatoes by running your finger with some water on it, around half the circle. Pinch closed. Set aside until you have made all you want to. Boil a pot of salted water, then cook the pierogies. They will float when they are done. Butter them as soon as they are taken out so that they don't stick to each other!

Steps:

• 1. FOR THE SAUERKRAUT FILLING: Note: You can fry your onions and bacon ahead of time.
• 2. I bought the type of sauerkraut that you find in a jar, so first drain it and then rinse the sauerkraut well in warm water, squeeze it dry, and chop it up finely.
• 3. Cook the onion or shallot in fat or shortening until tender and the flavors are blended.
• 4. Add the sour cream to the sauerkraut, season with salt and pepper.
• 5. Cook in a saucepan on low for 15 minutes until the sauerkraut is tender. Do not over cook this!
• 6. Chill in the fridge until cold and then fill the perogies.
• 7. FOR THE PEROGIES
• 8. Put the flour, butter and salt into the food processor with the lid on and turn on the machine. Put the water through the feeding tube in a stream. Let this process until a ball of dough is formed. Let the dough sit for a half hour and it will be easier to work with. I put mine in a plastic bag on the counter.
• 9. Once the dough has set and the sauerkraut is chilled roll out the dough and use a 4" round cookie cutter to cut out your perogies. Fill each being careful not to get any on the edges. Seal shut tightly.
• 10. Place the perogies on a floured surface so they won't stick. Cover with a tea towel.
• 11. Drop the perogies into a large pot of boiling water. When they float up to the surface they are done. Don't put too many in the pot at once, maybe 6 at the most, otherwise this will cool your water down too much.
• 12. Melt some butter and put it into the bottom of an oven proof dish and add your first layer of perogies I use a 9x13" casserole dish. I layer the perogies with fried bacon and onions and more butter. These stick easily so make sure you have enough butter on them.
• 13. Place in the oven and keep warm until you're ready to eat. I love a dollop of sour cream on the side.
• 14. Enjoy!