Pierogi

My mom is Polish and we have some great food traditions. One of them is pierogi that I make for Christmas. The recipe is pretty simple and I like mine stuffed with mashed potatoes. My great-grandma's recipe calls for farmers cheese, which is hard to find, so I use cottage cheese. I do add some salt and pepper to the cottage cheese, but potato is the best!

Recipe -
1 cup sour cream
3 egg yolks (you won't need the whites, so feel free to make an omelet!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups flour, sifted

- Mix eggs, sour cream, flour, and salt with a large spoon.
- Mix well and knead in enough flour to make it smooth.
- Cover and let it rest for ~15min.
- Divide dough and roll to desired thickness - thinner is usually better.
- Cut with 4inch cookie cutter - I just use the largest glass I can fine in our cabinet.
- Fill each circle with ~teaspoon of filling - cheese, mashed potatoes, green chile?!
- Fold each circle in half and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
- Once finished making your pierogi, boil them in salted water immediately. Once they float, they are done. Cool on the counter, flipping over to cool the other side.
- They can be stored in the fridge for a few days after being boiled.
- For serving - fry them in butter until golden brown.
- We like to eat them with sour cream.
- Makes ~20-30 pierogi.

Since I only make them once a year. I usually triple the recipe and spend most of the day making these tasty guys! Definitely worth the effort:)

Ingredients.

Mixing time!

Making the circles.

Ready for the filling.

Stuffed and crimped close. Waiting for a salt water boiling bath!

Cooling after the boiling bath! Note - I made these Wednesday night.

Frying in butter on Saturday morning! Yummy!

Enjoy!
ELH