Pierogi

[kirra]

Pierogi

Recipes for dough and fillings are for 12 servings

Ingredients:

Dough:

4 eggs
1 cup water
4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Mound flour on kneading board and make hole in center. Drop eggs into hole and cut into flour with a knife. Add salt and water and knead until firm. Let rest for 10 minutes covered with a warm bowl. Divide dough in halves and roll thin.

Assembling:
Cut circles with a large biscuit cutter. Place a small mound of filling (see below) a little to one side on each round of dough. Moisten edge with a little water, fold over and press edges firmly together. Be sure they are well sealed to prevent the filling from running out.

Cooking:
Drop the pierogi into salted boiling water. Cook gently for 3 to 5 minutes. Lift out of water carefully with a perforated spoon.

Serve as is or fry in butter on medium-low heat until golden brown.

Note: The dough has a tendency to dry while you are working. A dry dough will not seal completely. Try rolling out a large circle of dough, placing small mounds of filling on one side, far enough apart to allow for cutting, and folding the dough over the mounds of filling. Then cut with a small biscuit cutter and seal firmly. Never crowd or pile pierogi. The uncooked will stick and the cooked will lose shape and lightness. Unused pierogi can be frozen after boiling and keep well.

Fillings:

Beef Filling:

3 large onions, sliced
6 tablespoons butter
5 cups ground beef
2 1/4 cups cooked rice
2 tablespoons beef broth
3 tablespoons hot water
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Sauté onion in margarine. Stir in meat and rice. Dissolve bouillon in hot water. Add to meat mixture with parsley and salt & pepper to taste.

Cabbage Filling:

1 head cabbage, shredded
7 10 ounce cans of sauerkraut
1 small onion
1 clove garlic
10 tablespoons butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Parboil cabbage in boiling water for ten to fifteen minutes. Rinse, drain, cool, and thoroughly wring moisture from cabbage and sauerkraut; set aside. The drier the cabbage and sauerkraut the less time required to complete cooking. Sauté onion and garlic in 2 tablespoons butter. Add cabbage and sauerkraut and remainder of butter; cook for approximately one half hour or until cabbage is soft and mixture is "reasonably" dry. It is important that the mixture not be too moist in order to prevent wetting dough during the filling process. Wet dough will cause pierogi to break open during cooking!

Allow mixture to stand in refrigerator (in covered bowl) for twenty four hours prior to filling pierogi dough.

Cheese Filling:

3 cups cottage or farmers cheese
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cream eggs and butter together. Add other ingredients and mix well. Note: If using cottage cheese, use only the egg yolks.

Potato Filling:

2 pounds potatoes
1/2 pound butter
1 medium onion, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Cook potatoes till tender, drain well. Add butter, salt and pepper, onion and mash. When mixture is cool it is ready to use. Note: You may wish to combine cheese, or sauerkraut with potatoes; if so, it is best to combine 2/3 mashed potatoes to 1/3 other ingredients.