Grandma Laura’s Potato + Cheese Pierogi
Welcome to my first post! Over the next few months we will be exploring different types of pierogi. But to start, I’m going to teach you a family classic. These are the pierogi I grew up on. We made hundreds in preparation of our Christmas Eve dinner and continued to eat the leftovers for weeks after. To me, pierogi are a comfort food, a symbol of the holidays and family. I’ve never met a person who did not didn’t like them.
Making pierogi is not as complicated as it seems. You can break it down into 4 steps: 1.) Make the filling 2.) Make the dough 3.) Assemble and 4). Cook. If you like, you can break up the work by making and assembling the pierogi ahead of time, then cooking them from frozen whenever you please.
To make pierogi you will also need a number of supplies. I will go into more detail on the different types of “tools” you can use in a future post. But for now, you should know that you need a rolling pin or pasta roller and a dumpling crimper (this is optional. You can also just use a fork or your fingers).
If you look online you will find many different versions of the potato + cheese pierogi. Many use farmers cheese in the filling. I also saw a wild debate about whether or not to use egg in the dough. But this is my family recipe. Enjoy!
Now, lets make some pierogi!
Grandma Laura’s Potato + Cheese Pierogi
Ingredients:
For the filling:
3 Yukon Gold potatoes
2 cups cheddar cheese (more or less to taste)
1/2 onion
salt and pepper to taste
For the dough:
2.5 - 3 cups flour
1 egg
1/3 cup warm water
2 table spoons sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
For serving:
1/2 onion
butter
sour cream
To Do:
Filling:
Peel and quarter potatoes. Boil until fork tender (about 15 minutes).
While potatoes boil; peel, slice, and sauté onions.
Drain potatoes and mash. Add onions and cheddar cheese to pot and mix. Set aside to cool.
Dough:
Mix flour, egg, sour cream, water, and salt. Add more water if needed. Knead until it forms a dough ball. Cover the dough with the bowl and let rest for about 15 minutes.
Using a pasta roller, start with a #8 and fold the dough through 4 or 5 times. Switch to a #7 and fold through 2 times. (If you don’t have a pasta roller, a rolling pin will work.) Continue this process until the dough is thin enough (about an 1/8 of an inch). We recommend stopping once you get to the #3 or #4 setting.
Assemble:
Use a circle cookie cutter or glass cup to cut out 2-3 inch rounds. Put circle of dough into pierogi crimper and fill with about 1 tsp. of potato filling (be careful not to overfill or it will seep out the edges and you won’t get a good seal). Wet one side of pierogi with water before pinching shut. Trim excess edges if needed.
Cook:
Place pierogi in boiling water. Once they rise to the top continue to cook for 2-3 minutes and then remove with slotted spoon. Gently dry off the pierogi and sauté in pan with butter and onions. Serve warm and enjoy.
NOTES: Pierogi can be frozen (either raw or after boiling) and stored in the freezer for up to three months. Freeze in a single layer on a wax paper lined cookie tray. Once frozen, transfer to freezer bags. On day of party, thaw and sauté in butter and onions and enjoy!
