Pierogies

Serves: 4

Jailyn Upton

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

58

Spice

44

Sweetness

44

Sourness

40

mins

Prep time (avg)

5.4

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1 cup

Water

1 large

Egg

2 tsps

Vegetable Oil

1 tsp

Salt

1 tsp

Black Pepper

Directions:

1

Make dough: Put flour in a large shallow bowl and make a well in center

2

Add water, egg, oil, and salt to well and carefully beat together with a fork without incorporating flour

3

Continue stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually incorporating flour, until a soft dough forms

4

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting with flour as needed to keep dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes (dough will be very soft)

5

Invert a bowl over dough and let stand at room temperature 1 hour

6

Put flour in a large shallow bowl and make a well in center

7

Add water, egg, oil, and salt to well and carefully beat together with a fork without incorporating flour

8

Continue stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually incorporating flour, until a soft dough forms

9

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting with flour as needed to keep dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes (dough will be very soft)

10

Invert a bowl over dough and let stand at room temperature 1 hour

11

Make filling while dough stands: Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces

12

Cook potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes

13

Drain potatoes, then transfer to a bowl along with cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and mash with a potato masher or a handheld electric mixer at low speed until smooth

14

When mashed potatoes are cool enough to handle, spoon out a rounded teaspoon and lightly roll into a ball between palms of your hands

15

Transfer ball to a plate and keep covered with plastic wrap while making 47 more balls in same manner (there will be a little filling left over)

16

Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces

17

Cook potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes

18

Drain potatoes, then transfer to a bowl along with cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and mash with a potato masher or a handheld electric mixer at low speed until smooth

19

When mashed potatoes are cool enough to handle, spoon out a rounded teaspoon and lightly roll into a ball between palms of your hands

20

Transfer ball to a plate and keep covered with plastic wrap while making 47 more balls in same manner (there will be a little filling left over)

21

Make onion topping: Cook onion in butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally (stir more frequently toward end of cooking), until golden brown, about 30 minutes

22

Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper

23

Cook onion in butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally (stir more frequently toward end of cooking), until golden brown, about 30 minutes

24

Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper

25

Form and cook pierogies: Halve dough and roll out 1 half (keep remaining half under inverted bowl) on lightly floured surface (do not overflour surface or dough will slide instead of stretching) with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 15-inch round (1/8 inch thick), then cut out 24 rounds with lightly floured cutter

26

Holding 1 round in palm of your hand, put 1 potato ball in center of round and close your hand to fold round in half, enclosing filling

27

Pinch edges together to seal completely

28

(If edges don't adhere, brush them lightly with water, then seal; do not leave any gaps or pierogi may open during cooking

29

) Transfer pierogi to a lightly floured kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and cover with another towel

30

Form more pierogies in same manner

31

Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of salted water to a boil

32

Add half of pierogies, stirring once or twice to keep them from sticking together, and cook 5 minutes from time pierogies float to surface

33

Transfer as cooked with a slotted spoon to onion topping and toss gently to coat

34

Cook remaining pierogies in same manner, transferring to onions

35

Reheat pierogies in onion topping over low heat, gently tossing to coat

36

Halve dough and roll out 1 half (keep remaining half under inverted bowl) on lightly floured surface (do not overflour surface or dough will slide instead of stretching) with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 15-inch round (1/8 inch thick), then cut out 24 rounds with lightly floured cutter

37

Holding 1 round in palm of your hand, put 1 potato ball in center of round and close your hand to fold round in half, enclosing filling

38

Pinch edges together to seal completely

39

(If edges don't adhere, brush them lightly with water, then seal; do not leave any gaps or pierogi may open during cooking

40

) Transfer pierogi to a lightly floured kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and cover with another towel

41

Form more pierogies in same manner

42

Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of salted water to a boil

43

Add half of pierogies, stirring once or twice to keep them from sticking together, and cook 5 minutes from time pierogies float to surface

44

Transfer as cooked with a slotted spoon to onion topping and toss gently to coat

45

Cook remaining pierogies in same manner, transferring to onions

46

Reheat pierogies in onion topping over low heat, gently tossing to coat