Ruskie Pierogi (Pierogi With Cheese & Potato Filling)

A popular Polish dish similar to dumplings or ravioli. pronounced pyeh-RAW-ghee (this is the plural form, just one is called pierog, but they're so good you'll almost never eat just one.) Pierogi can be made with a wide variety of fillings, but the most common are minced cooked meat, sauerkraut & mushrooms, cheese and potatoes, sweet cheese (usually with a touch of vanilla) and blueberries (in summer). Other fillings include buckwheat groats, potatoes & onions and lentils. Common toppings include fried fat-back nuggets, sour cream, melted butter or butter-browned bread crumbs.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 24 pierogi

Ingredients

• Filling

• 2  potatoes, cooked & mashed (1/2 cup instant or leftover mashed potatoes is fine too)
• 1  cup cottage cheese, drained
• 1  onion, minced & sauteed in butter until clear
• 1  egg yolk, beaten
• 1  tablespoon butter, melted
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
•  pepper, to taste

• Dough

• 2 1⁄4 cups flour
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 2  tablespoons butter, cut in pieces
• 1  large egg, at room temperature
• 1  egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1⁄2 cup reduced-fat milk, at room temperature
• 2  tablespoons sour cream, at room temperature

• To prepare

• 12  cups salt water

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients listed under filling and refrigerate until ready to assemble pierogi.
2. Combine flour, salt and butter in food processor.
3. In a separate bowl, blend together egg, egg yolk, milk and sour cream.
4. Add egg mixture to flour mixture and process until dough cleans sides of bowl and sticks together (the dough will be slightly sticky).
5. Remove from processor, shape into a ball, wrap in plastic and chill for 3 hours or overnight.
6. Cut dough into thirds; roll each section out on floured surface into 12" round.
7. Cut each round into 8 (3") circles (using a glass works well).
8. Place about 2 tsp filling on each dough circle.
9. Moisten outer edges with water and fold dough over to close.
10. Seal edges by pressing gently with the back of a fork or pinching together with your fingers.
11. In large pot, bring salted water to boil.
12. Cook 12 pierogi at a time, reducing heat to a gentle boil; boil until pierogi float to the surface (about 5 minutes).
13. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain on paper towel and transfer to serving dish.
14. Repeat with remaining pierogi.
15. At this point you can serve them warm, freeze them for later use or fry them in butter over medium heat, lightly browning both sides before serving.