Recipe Spotlight: Polish Pierogi

One of my favorite perks of living in a big city is that I've had the opportunity to meet people from different countries, including Spain, Finland, Germany, China, Malaysia, Nigeria, and Ethiopia.  When I had the chance to have lunch with a nice Polish lady that I recently met and talk about my upcoming trip to Poland, I enthusiastically agreed!  After lunch with her, I walked away with two books on Krakow, the knowledge that I should devote my carry-on bag to bringing home the famous Polish pierniczki and E. Wedel chocolate (which, as a gingerbread and chocolate addict, I was planning to do anyway), and an authentic recipe for Polish dumplings, i.e. pierogi!  Pierogi can have a variety of fillings, such as sauerkraut and mushroom, prune, and meat; this recipe is for potato and cheese and serves 4. 

Pierogi Dough

• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/2 cups flour

Beat egg, milk, water, and salt in a mixing bowl, and add the flour, 1 cup at a time, until fully blended. Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and firm.  The dough should not be too sticky.  Allow dough to rest under the overturned mixing bowl for 20 minutes.

Using a rolling pin, roll dough as thinly as you would pasta dough; you can even use a pasta machine if you'd like.  Cut the dough into circles using a biscuit cutter or an empty can.

Potato and Cheese Filling

• 3-4 russet potatoes (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), cooked and mashed
• 2 large onions, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup grated cheddar cheese
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter
• Sour cream

Peel and cut potatoes into 3- or 4-inch cubes and place them in a saucepan.  Add water until potatoes are covered.  Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium, and cook covered for 20 minutes or until a fork can easily be poked through their center.

Meanwhile, heat a saute pan on medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan.  Once butter has melted, add finely chopped onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until the onions are tender and begin to brown.  Once browning begins, lower the heat and cook for an additional 2-5 minutes.  As the sugar in the onions caramelizes, they will begin to brown more quickly.  Transfer to a plate when they are golden brown.

Drain water from the potatoes and add the remaining butter and milk to the pot.  Using a potato masher, mash potatoes to the desired texture.  Mix in salt, pepper, and half of the caramelized onions and allow to cool before adding the grated cheese or filling the pierogi.

Stretch the dough to the desired size and place a spoon of filling on one side of the circle.  Fold the other side over the filling and pinch or crimp to seal.  The pierogi will be a crescent (half circle) shape.  If pierogi are not sealing well, paint the edges with water or beaten egg white.  You can use a fork or your fingers to make a fancy edge if you'd like.

To cook the pierogi, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and gently place pierogi in the boiling water.  Allow to cook for 8-10 minutes.  Carefully drain the pierogi and place them in a saute pan that has been heated with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Add the remaining caramelized onions to the pan and stir gently, cooking until the pierogi are lightly browned.  Serve with sour cream on the side for a delicious feast!