Ukrainian Pieroghi Recipes

BABA'S TRADITIONAL UKRAINIAN PEROGIES RECIPE

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut into quarters. Cook in boiling water until soft enough to mash.
• Drain well. Reserve 2 cups of potato water for dough (optional: You can just use regular water but potato water works really well for making perogy dough!)
• Return potatoes to the pot and add the grated cheese and sautéed onion. Mash until smooth and all ingredients well combined. Place filling in the fridge to cool. Prep filling ahead of time and let it cool overnight if possible. Otherwise let cool for at least an hour or so while making the dough.
• In a large bowl, sift flour and combine with salt. Mix together the water, the oil and the egg and pour half of this mixture into the flour. Mix and slowly add the remaining liquid. Knead by hand until flour and liquid are well combined. You may need to add a small amount of either flour or water, depending on the consistency of the dough. You should end up with a ball of dough that is very pliable but not sticky.
• Wrap dough in plastic wrap or a clean plastic bag and let dough rest for at least 30 minutes.
• Cut dough in half or in thirds, keeping unused dough well wrapped in plastic until needed. Flour the table or counter lightly and roll dough to about 1/8 inch thickness.
• Cut the dough in rounds using a biscuit cutter or a small, upside down drinking glass.
• Fill each round of dough with about one tablespoon of potato filling and seal the edges of the dough together with your fingers. Make sure there are no gaps when pinching the edges because if there are, your perogies will boil out when you cook them and you'll be left with just the dough (although this is still really yummy).
• To cook, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook in small batches (10-15 perogies at a time), stirring gently to prevent dumplings from sticking together. Perogies are finished cooking when they float to the top.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove them from water and drain before transferring to a serving bowl. Toss with butter and serve hot with sour cream. Add fried onions and.or bacon bits to take your perogies to the next level!
• To freeze perogies, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and flash freeze them. You can layer parchment paper on top of perogies to freeze more on one tray, just don't let the perigees touch each other or they will stick together. Once perogies are frozen solid, transfer them to a freezer bag and store for up to 6 months.

UKRAINIAN OLHA'S VARENYKY (PEROGIES)

Steps:

• To make the dough, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the soft butter and evaporated milk; stir gently until all the liquid is absorbed. Add water only as needed, kneading continuously until dough sticks together. Place dough into a greased bowl, turn to coat, and let rest for 30 minutes.
• To make the potato filling, place potatoes into a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a medium skillet, over medium heat. Saute onions in butter until tender. Mix the onions into the potatoes along with the cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• To make the sauerkraut and cabbage filling, pour the drained sauerkraut into a large saucepan. In a medium skillet, saute 2 onions in 1/2 cup butter until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir the onions into the sauerkraut along with the cabbage and chicken bouillon cube. Cook over low heat until liquid evaporates. Season with pepper and remove from heat. Allow the mixture to cool, then run through a grinder or food processor.
• Remove the dough from the bowl onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out to 1/8 inch in thickness. Cut into 3 inch circles. Place one tablespoon of filling onto one side of the circle. Fold the other half over and press the edges to seal. Place finished dumplings onto a floured tray and keep covered.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop 10 or so dumplings into the water at a time. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, then remove to a colander to drain. Place finished dumplings onto a lightly oiled dish and turn them to coat with a thin layer. This will keep them from sticking together. Serve dumplings with fried onions and sour cream. Cooled dumplings also can be fried in oil and butter for a nice crispy surface.

UKRAINIAN PEROGIES, FOR BEGINNERS

Steps:

• Dough--------------.
• Mix dough ingredients together.
• You may have to add more liquid or flour to make the dough soft and somewhat sticky.
• Turn onto a floured surface and knead more flour into dough- just enough to make it easier to handle.
• The dough will be slightly sticky.
• Do not over-knead.
• Place dough in an oiled bowl.
• Cover and let rest for 30 minuets.
• Filling-----------.
• Cook onion in butter.
• Mix with potatoes, and add cheese while the mixture is still hot.
• You may substitute Cheez Whiz for the cheddar.
• Let filling cool before using (place in fridge.) If you are using the alternate filling, simply mix those ingredients together.
• Manufacturing--------.
• Set a large pot of water to boil.
• Form walnut-sized balls of the filling.
• Roll out dough on floured surface fairly thinly (3 millimeters, or 0.125 inch).
• You will probably need to add flour as you roll.
• Cut out circles approximately 7 1/2 centimeters (3 inches) in diameter (a wider-mouthed glass should do fine.) Press scraps into a ball.
• Place filling ball in center of dough circle.
• If the dough has a less-floury side, keep that side up.
• Fold dough over ball, and pinch edges to form a half circle.
• To prevent perogies with"horns", I pinch at the top ("90 degree mark") of the perogy first, then pinch at the 180 and degree edges, working up to the 90 degree mark.
• You can cheat pinching the perogies by smearing water on the filling side of the dough at the edges, and keep your fingers floured when you pinch (on the non-filling side.) In order to prevent perogies from drying out, keep finished perogies on a floured surface, and cover with a floured clean dishcloth.
• Place several perogies in boiling water.
• Stir once, gently with a slotted spoon.
• Perogies are done when they float for a minute (this will take 2-3 minutes).
• Melt about 1/2 cup of butter or margarine in microwave.
• Rescue and drain the perogies with the slotted spoon.
• Place in a bowl, drizzle with some melted butter, and gently shake to distribute the butter.
• Cook, drain, and drizzle the other perogies in the same manner.
• *Platzkies (pronounced "plutch-keys"): (The scrap dough is not tender enough to make into perogies, but make good"dumplings" by themselves.) Roll out scraps to approxamitely the same thickness as before.
• Add minimal flour, and handle dough as little as possible.
• Try to keep edges even.
• Cut dough with a knife into strips about 8 cm (3 inches) wide.
• Cut each strip into several triangles and/or squares.
• Cook strips in water until they float.
• Repeat draining and drizzling treatment as with perogies.

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT PIEROGIES / PEROGIES - OLD FASHIONED RECIPE

Steps:

• Sauerkraut Filling: Rinse the sauerkraut well in warm water, squeeze dry, and chop very fine.
• Cook the onion in the fat or shortening until tender.
• Add the sauerkraut and cream.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until sauerkraut is tender and the flavors blend.
• Do not over cook.
• Chill thoroughly.
• 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 pierogies, is that they can be made in large quantities, refrigerated, frozen and reheated without lost of quality.
• Many prefer reheated pierogies 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.

UKRAINIAN PIEROGHI

Steps:

• For filling: make mashed potatoes as usual, butter, salt, pepper, milk or cream; however you usually make it.
• Saute onion in butter till tender. Add to potatoes.
• Add velveeta cheese to potatoes, to taste.
• Set aside.
• For dough: make well in the 2 cups of flour. Pour beaten egg in well and mix.
• Add 1 to 1 1/2 cups water and mix.
• Make into long ropes of dough. Cut into little squares and flatten them out.
• Spoon potato mixture into squares and fold over. Make sure the sides are completely pinched together.
• Place in salted boiling water for 7 minutes. Don't overcrowd the pot, batches are best.
• Enjoy.
• Just guessing on the servings.