Marrying into a Catholic family and being part Polish means one thing during lent:
Pierogi on Friday.
Whether you call them pierogi or pirohy, these delightful, potato-filled dumplings are a staple to lent in Youngstown, Ohio.
Running into a couple unexpected days off last week, I used an afternoon to make some pierogi. While these are a favorite, I did forget how much work goes into these, especially if you're working alone. This is a great project if you have some friends who want to spend some time together or if you have some little hands able to help.
I apologize in advance for the horrible lack of pictures. Clearly I need to figure out how to take pictures while using two hands to demonstrate...I'll work on growing a third (or fourth) hand...
Roasted Garlic Pierogi
Dough:
2 cups flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling dough
1/2 teaspoon iodized salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup butter, softened and cut into small pieces
-Mix together the flour and salt.
-Beat the egg, then add to the flour mixture with the sour cream and butter. Work the dough until it absorbs all of the flour mixure and loses the stickiness (add more flour if necessary).
-Wrap and plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight. Dough can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 days.
Filling:
About 2 pounds red skinned russet potatoes (4 large)
2 heads garlic
1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon iodized salt
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
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Pictures aren't worth as many words as smells... |
-Preheat oven to 400. Cut the tops off the garlic. Place on aluminum foil, drizzle with oil, and wrap into a packet. Place into preheated oven and roast for about a half hour, or until browned and soft.
-While garlic is roasting, peel, dice, and boil potatoes (in salted water- see dear, I listen!). Once potatoes are soft, drain and push through potato ricer.
-In mixing bowl, add roasted garlic to riced potatoes. If garlic is still too hot to handle, you can hold it using a paper towel. Turn on mixer and add sour cream, salt, and cheddar cheese. Mix until smooth. If your potatoes are not smooth and creamy, feel free to add more sour cream, some heavy cream, or some butter.
To make pierogi:
-Bring a pot of water to boil.
-Roll dough. If using a pasta roller, follow instructions. I typically roll mine with the attachment for my KitchenAid. Following the instructions, I roll to a thickness of 4 or 5. If you are using a rolling pin, roll to about 1/16 inch thick. Cut into 4" circles.
-Place a small portion of filling onto the dough. I use a portion scoop to help me make uniform pierogi. For this size dough, I use a size 70 scoop. (The size refers to how many portions per quart the scoop gives, so the smaller the number, the larger the portion and vice versa.)
-Envelop the filling with the dough. You may need to squish the filling to help fill the portion evenly. Pinch the dough. If the dough doesn't stick together easily, before pinching the dough together, you can dip your fingers in some warm water and run it around the inside of the dough. It will act like a 'glue' to help them stick together. I typically use this method to ensure the pierogi will not stick. This also helps if your dough dries a little between rolling/cutting and filling/sealing.
-Boil pierogi in smaller batches (I boil about 8 at a time in a 3 quart sauce pot) for about 3 minutes (until they float for a minute or so). If you want to freeze extra pierogi freeze them in a freezer bag at this point. When you want to prepare them, proceed from this point.
-After pierogi are boiled, saute in butter and serve.
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My husband said: "They don't even need bacon!" I consider that a major victory! |