Wrappers For Vareniki Pelmeni Or Pierogi Recipes

CHEESE-FILLED VARENIKI OR PIEROGI

Steps:

• Combine the cottage cheese with the salt, sugar, egg, and 1/2 cup sour cream in a bowl; taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Lay a wrapper on a work surface, then place 1 to 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of it; brush the edges of the wrapper with egg white, then pinch tightly to close. If you have cut circles, form half-moons; if you have cut squares, form triangles. Press the seam tightly to seal; it's best if no air is trapped between the filling and wrapper. Set on a lightly floured plate or wax paper. (At this point you may cover tightly and refrigerate for up to a day or freeze for a couple of weeks.)
• To boil the dumplings, melt the butter, set a large pot of water to boil, and preheat the oven to 200°F. Salt the water and boil the dumplings a few at a time until they rise to the surface. A minute or two later, taste a bit of the dough to see whether it is tender. As they finish, remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon and put them in an ovenproof bowl; drizzle them with some of the butter and put the bowl in the oven.When the dumplings are done, make sure they are coated evenly with butter and serve hot with sour cream.
• Panfried Dumplings
• Put about 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat. When the butter melts, add as many dumplings as will fit without crowding and brown them quickly, turning once or twice. Keep warm on a plate in the oven, cooking the remaining dumplings and adding butter to the skillet as needed. Serve hot, with sour cream.

MEAT-FILLED PELMENI, VARENIKI, OR PIEROGI

Steps:

• Put the meat in a food processor along with a large pinch of salt and some pepper. Process, along with a couple of tablespoons of cold water, until the mixture is finely ground and almost fluffy. Mix in the onion by hand.
• Lay a wrapper on a work surface, then place 1 to 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of it; brush the edges of the wrapper with egg white, then pinch tightly to close. If you have cut circles, form half-moons; if you have cut squares, form triangles. Press the seam tightly to seal; it's best if no air is trapped between the filling and wrapper. Set on a lightly floured plate or wax paper. (It is at this point that the pelmeni are traditionally frozen, and you can do so if you like, or refrigerate them for a day or so.)
• To boil the dumplings, melt the butter, set a large pot of water to boil, and preheat the oven to 200°F. Salt the water and boil the dumplings a few at a time until they rise to the surface. A minute or two later, taste a bit of the dough to see whether it is tender. As they finish, remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon and put them in an ovenproof bowl; drizzle them with some of the butter and put the bowl in the oven. When the pelmeni are done, grind some fresh pepper over them, make sure they are coated evenly with butter, garnish with dill if you like, and serve hot.
• Drain the cooked pelmeni and put them in a bowl filled with hot, rich broth, like chicken stock (page 160). Omit the butter. Garnish with fresh dill or parsley leaves and serve.

CHEATER PIEROGI

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped bacon and onions; cook and stir until the bacon is crisp and the onions are browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove bacon and onions to a small dish, reserving about 2 tablespoons of the bacon fat for frying the pierogi.
• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and mash until smooth. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir in 1 egg and farmer's cheese. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
• Beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon water in a bowl for the egg wash.
• Place 2 to 3 wonton wrappers at a time on a lightly floured work surface. Brush the edges lightly with the egg wash. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each wrapper. Fold each pierogi in half and lightly press the edges together to seal.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook pierogi in the boiling water until they float, 2 to 3 minutes. Drain.
• Transfer pierogi to the skillet with reserved bacon drippings in batches and cook over medium heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl, toss with the bacon and onions, and serve garnished with sour cream and chives.

VARENIKI (RUSSIAN PIEROGI) WITH POTATOES AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain potatoes and mash; season with salt and pepper.
• Combine flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl while potatoes are cooking. Stir sour cream and baking soda together in a second bowl. Add water to flour mixture and blend in, followed by sour cream mixture. Knead into a smooth dough, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook onions until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add to mashed potatoes.
• Divide dough into 4 portions and roll each portion into a 1 1/2-inch thick rope. Cut ropes into small 1/2-inch pieces. Press each dough piece into a small flat circle and place 1 teaspoon of potato filling in the center. Fold dough over into a half-moon shape and seal edges.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Add the vareniki in batches and cook until they float to the surface, about 3 minutes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a colander to drain.

WRAPPERS FOR VARENIKI, PELMENI, OR PIEROGI

Steps:

• Combine the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the egg yolks and, with the machine running, 1/4 cup water; after that, add water about 1 tablespoon at a time, until a dough ball forms; transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for a couple of minutes.
• Cut the dough into 2 pieces, form into balls, dust with flour, and cover with plastic wrap, a damp towel, or an upside-down bowl. Let rest for 20 to 60 minutes. (At this point you can wrap the dough tightly in plastic and freeze for up to a couple of weeks; defrost at room temperature before proceeding.) Meanwhile, make your filling from one of the following recipes.
• Knead one of the balls for a minute on a lightly floured surface. Roll each ball into a thin sheet, about 1/16 inch thick, and cut into 2- to 3-inch squares or use a cookie cutter or glass to form 2- to 3-inch circles. You can lightly flour the dumplings, stack, and refrigerate (up to a day) or freeze them (up to 2 weeks), or form them immediately.