About Pierogi Recipes

The Pierogi are dumplings that are semi-circular or half-moon in shaped, it is made from dough which is unleavened that are satiated with diversity of fillings. The filling of Pierogi is usually cheese, sauerkraut or mashed potatoes but it can also be a mixture of any vegetables or fruits, and infrequently with a meat. The Pierogi are comparable to a ravioli and it can be set in a diversity of techniques in order to serve as appetizer, desert or main dish,but it depends upon the filling.

Pierogi can be an outstanding party food or appetizers . When provided with a dip of choice, like; spinach dip, salsa and sour cream with chives, Pierogi will rapidly vanish in their plate. Pierogi also a appetizer that is kid-friendly or a snack with a combination of crisp vegetables or it can be topped with crumbled bacon and cheese. If making from scratch, fruit and fill cream cheese is a sweet and healthy dessert combination.

The Pierogi dough is a combination of flour, salt, eggs and water. The need for the additional water and flour depends on the day’s humidity also the amount of flour. The dough must not be powdery, it should not be sticky also.

The Pierogi dough

Preparation Time would be 15 minutes, Cooking Time is 30 minutes and all in all, it takes 45 minutes to complete the dough

You will need the following:

• all-purpose flour
• lukewarm water
• teaspoon salt
• beaten room-temperature eggs

The procedure:

• In a medium size bowl, water, salt, combine eggs, then add flour.
• Massage until the dough is well-founded and well mixed.
• Then cover it with a loose plastic wrap or a bowl that is overturned for about 10 min. to 1 hr.
• Work on the half dough at one time.

THE FILLINGS:

The Plain Cottage Cheese Filling

• fresh cottage cheese (slightly beaten)
• Salt to taste

The Procedure:

• Mix the fresh cottage cheese, whole eggs and add salt.
• Then place for about 1 tbs of filling into the middle of each round of dough then fold it over. Seal and press it to a semi-circle or half-moon shape.
• Apply a little amount of water in order to seal them.
• In pan of boiling and salted water, cook them for about 4 to 5 min. or until it floats.
• Then, remove them and drain.
• Put them in the serving dish with melted butter, its best to serve it warm.

The Meat Filling

You will need the following:

• Lean ground beef
• Finely chopped ham
• Soft farmers cheese
• Minced garlic
• Minced shallots
• Whole egg
• Chopped green onions
• Salt and ground black pepper

For Garnish:

• Butter

• Sour cream

The procedure:

• In a pan, cook the beef for about 4 - 5 min.
• Then, season it with pepper and salt.
• Remove them in the pan and then drain all the fat.
• In a mixing bowl, combine ground beef, cheese, whole egg, minced shallots, garlic, ham, and green chopped onions. Mix them well.
• Adjust seasoning and taste by adding pepper and salt.
• Put a tablespoon of filling in the middle of each round of dough then fold it over.
• Seal and press them into a shape like half-moon. Apply a little water for sealing.
• In a pot of hot or boiling and salted water, cook the them for 7 - 8 min, or till Pierogi will float.
• Remove and drain from the water.
• In a sauté pan, melt the butter and then scorch them for 2 - 3 min on each side until golden brown
• Then remove from the pan.
• Place them on the platter.

• Garnish with fresh parsley leaves that are finely chopped, serve with a sour cream as the dip

The Cooked fruit Pierogi Filling

• Fruit, like pitted cherries, peaches, apples, plums or blueberries.
• Water
• Lemon juice (optional)
• Cardamom or Cinnamon (optional)
• Sugar (optional)
• Bread crumbs (fine dry)

The Procedure:

• Mix the fruit that you want, water, and the sugar in a pan.
• Then boil, stir and cook till the fruits are tender and water is nearly gone.
• Take out from heat.
• Mush the fruit lightly by the use of potato masher.
• Then add cardamom or cinnamon as well as the lemon juice.
• Cook them and stir at a low heat, until the assortment is thick.

The Sweet Cottage Cheese Filling

This often diverse with vanilla and raisins flavors and they are served with a coated melted butter that serve as the dessert.

You will need the following:

• fresh cottage cheese
• sugar
• whole eggs, beaten and mixed
• vanilla flavor (to taste)
• golden or the sultana raisins (soaked and cleaned in warm water, mixed and drained)

The Procedure:

• Put for about 1 tablespoon of filling in the midpoint of the round of dough then fold it over.
• Seal and press into semi-circle shapes.
• Use little liquid to seal the edges.
• In pan of boiling and salted water, cook them for 4 - 5 min, until they will float.
• Remove the Pierogi from the water and then drain.
• Put it in a serving dish with melted butter, then serve

The Sauerkraut Filling

You will need the following:

• sauerkraut
• yellow onions
• sugar
• Salt

The Procedure:

• Use the refrigerated or canned sauerkraut.
• Wash and then drain them in order to decrease the acid sharp flavor.
• Chop the onions.
• Fry them with butter till they become glowing, then add sauerkraut as well as the sugar. You can also add more butter with a combination of olive oil.
• Fry until it become golden brown in color.
• Lastly, add pepper and salt to give taste.

The Potato Filling:

You will need the following:

• Mashed potatoes
• Farmers cheese
• Butter
• Onions, finely chopped and sautéed
• Salt and black pepper to taste

The procedure:

• Sauté the chopped onions into the butter until it become transparent and soft, this take for about 4-5 min in a heat that is medium, make sure not to make the onions brown.
• Combine the onions with the warm mashed potatoes as well as the farmers cheese.

• Stir in the salt with the black pepper to give taste.
• Then, Place for about 1 tbs of filling in the middle of the dough then fold after.
• Press then seal it by making a shape like half-moon.
• Use water to seal it.
• In pot of boiling and salted water, cook them for 5 - 6 min, till they will float.
• Remove them from the water and then drain after.
• Put in the serving dish with butter that is melted, then garnish with fresh chopped chives, bacon crumbs, fresh chopped parsley leaves and with sour cream as dip.

Cabbage Pierogi Filling

You will need the following:

• Cabbage, finely ragged and formed into little pieces
• Large onion that are minced
• Ribs of celery that are minced
• Green pepper that are minced
• Butter or margarine
• Pepper and salt to give taste

The procedure:

• Steam the flippantly the salted cabbage into a pot that is covered, so it cause to burn
• Apply a little water, for about 1tbs or two, add a little more if necessary.
• Cook till is becomes tender yet firm.
• While cooking the cabbage, melt the margarine or the butter in the frying pan.
• Add the green pepper, onion and celery then sauté them until they become golden brown in color.
• Season them with pepper and salt while they are cooking.
• Drain all the liquid from cabbage as much as possible, mix it in a sautéed vegetable and then let it cool.

The blueberries Filling

You will need the following:

• Cinnamon
• Sugar
• Stemmed blueberries (washed)
• Diced lemon zest (this is optional)

The procedure:

• In a large pan, combine the lemon zest, sugar, blueberries and Cinnamon.
• Place and toss over in a medium heat.
• Allow them to boil, then reduce the heat and then simmer for 2 min.
• Remove them from the heat and let them cool totally.
• When filling the Pierogi, use the positioned spoon to put 3 - 4 blueberries on the piece of dough for the Pierogi.
• Then, use the reserved sauce in order to garnish the plated dumplings or the crepes.

The Russian Pierogi Filling

You will need the following:

• Mushrooms that are chopped fine
• sour cream
• onion, chopped fine
• garlic powder
• butter
• black pepper to taste
• grated hard-cooked egg,
• crushed butter or cracker crumbs
• salt to taste

The procedure:

• Sauté the mushrooms together with the onions into the butter until it become tender.
• Transfer then into a medium bowl.
• Grate the eggs to the bowl and add the cracker crumbs, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
• Then, mix in the sour cream in order to create thick paste.
• Refrigerate when they are ready to use.
• Then drop by a tablespoon to Pierogi dough

Tips:

• If you are having difficulty in sticking the edges together, maybe in the dough has too much flour. Adding a little amount of water could help to seal the edges.
• If you don’t like to cook all the Pierogies that you prepared, you can place them on the fridge for several days or you can freeze them up to several months.