Pats Potato Pierogis Elegante Recipes

POTATO PIEROGI

Steps:

• Make the dough: In a medium bowl, whisk egg. Add sour cream, and whisk until smooth. Add milk and 1 cup water, and whisk until combined. Slowly add about 3 cups flour, and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
• Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface and work in about 1 cup flour as you knead. Use a plastic scraper to lift dough as it will stick to the counter before flour is worked in. Continue kneading for 8 to 10 minutes, working in another 1/2 cup flour. The dough should be elastic in texture and no longer sticky. Be careful not to add too much flour, as this will toughen dough. Place dough in a lightly floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rest while you prepare filling.
• Make the filling: Place potatoes in a large pot, and cover with cold water. Add salt. Place over high heat, and bring to a boil. Cook until fork-tender. Drain and mash with a potato masher. Add 4 tablespoons melted butter and the cheeses, and continue to mash until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat, and bring to a boil. Lay a clean linen towel on your counter, and evenly distribute cornmeal on it to prevent sticking.
• On a floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Using a glass or cookie cutter measuring 2 1/2 inches in diameter, cut out as many circles as possible. Gather dough scraps together, rolling them out again, and continue cutting.
• Form filling into 1 1/2-inch balls, and place a ball in the center of each dough circle. Holding a circle in your hand, fold dough over filling, and pinch the edges, forming a well-sealed crescent. Transfer to linen towel. Continue this process until all dough circles are filled.
• Place pierogi in boiling water in batches. They will sink to the bottom of the pot and then rise to the top. Once they rise, let them cook for about a minute more. Meanwhile, drizzle platter with remaining 8 tablespoons melted butter. Remove pierogi from pot, and transfer to platter to prevent sticking. Serve immediately.

HOMEMADE POTATO AND CHEESE PIEROGIES / OLD FASHIONED PEROGIES

Steps:

• Potato and Cheese Filling: Cook the onion in butter until tender.
• Combine it with potatoes and cheese.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Vary the proportions and ingredients in this recipe to suit your taste.
• Mix the flour with the salt in a deep bowl.
• Add the egg, oil and water to make a medium soft dough.
• Knead on a floured board until the dough is smooth.
• Caution: Too much kneading will toughen the dough.
• Divide the dough into 2 parts.
• Cover and let stand for at least 10 minutes.
• Prepare the filling.
• The filling should be thick enough to hold its shape.
• Roll the dough quite thin on a floured board.
• Cut rounds with a large biscuit cutter, or as most old-world grandmothers did, with the open end of a glass.
• Put the round in the palm of your hand.
• Place a spoonful of filling in it, fold over to form a half circle and press the edges together with the fingers.
• The edges should be free of filling.
• Be sure the edges are sealed well to prevent the filling from running out.
• Place the pierogi on a floured board or tea towel and then cover with another tea towel to prevent them from drying out.
• COOKING: Drop a few pierogies into a large quantity of rapidly boiling salted water.
• Do not attempt to cook too many at a time.
• Stir VERY gently with a wooden spoon to separate them and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Continue boiling for 3-4 minutes.
• The cooling period will depend upon the size you made it, the thickness of the dough and the filling.
• Pierogies will be ready when they are puffed.
• Remove them with a perforated spoon or skimmer to a colander and drain thoroughly.
• Place in a deep dish, sprinkle generously with melted butter to prevent them from sticking.
• Cover and keep them hot until all are cooked.
• Serve in a large dish without piling or crowding them.
• Top with melted butter- chopped crisp bacon and/or chopped onions lightly browned in butter.
• REHEATING: One of the great things about perogies, is that they can be made in large quantities, refrigerated, frozen and reheated without loss of quality.
• Many prefer reheated perogies as compared to freshly boiled ones.
• To re-heat, you can: 1) pan fry pierogies in butter or bacon fat until they are light in color or, 2) heat the pierogies in the top of a double boiler or in the oven until they are hot and plump or, 3) deep fry them.

POTATO PIEROGIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk the egg.
• Add the sour cream, and whisk until smooth.
• Add the milk and 1 cup water, and whisk until combined.
• Slowly add about 3 cups flour, and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
• Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and work in about 1 cup flour as you knead.
• Use a plastic scraper to lift the dough as it will stick to the counter before the flour is worked in. Continue kneading for about 8 to 10 minutes, working in another 1/2 cup flour.
• The dough should be elastic and no longer sticky.
• Be careful not to add too much flour as this will toughen the dough.
• Place dough in a lightly floured bowl, and cover with plastic wrap; set aside while you prepare the filling.
• Cook potatoes in salted boiling water until fork-tender.
• Drain, and mash with a potato masher.
• Add melted butter and cheeses, and continue to mash until well-incorporated.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Place a large pot of salted water over high heat, and bring to a boil.
• Lay a clean linen towel on your counter, and evenly distribute cornmeal on it to prevent sticking.
• On a floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/8-inch thickness.
• Using a 2 1/2-inch-diameter glass or cookie cutter, cut out as many circles as possible.
• Gather dough scraps together, roll out again, and continue cutting.
• Form filling into 1 1/2-inch balls, and place a ball in the center of each dough circle.
• Holding a circle in your hand, fold dough over filling, and pinch the edges, forming a thoroughly sealed crescent.
• Transfer to linen towel.
• Continue until all dough circles are filled.
• Add pierogi to the boiling water in batches.
• They will sink to the bottom of the pot, then rise to the top.
• Once they rise, let them cook for about 1 minute more.
• Meanwhile, drizzle platter with melted butter.
• Remove pierogi from pot, and transfer to platter to prevent sticking.
• Serve immediately.

CHEF JOHN'S POTATO AND CHEESE PIEROGI

Steps:

• Prepare dough: Mix 3 ½ cups flour and salt together in a large bowl, then make a well in the center. Pour vegetable oil and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water into the well. Stir to form a shaggy dough that just pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Use a little flour to clean the dough off the spoon.
• Transfer dough to a work surface; press and knead for a few minutes until you have a smooth, soft dough. You can add a little more flour if it's too sticky but don't add too much. Form dough into a ball and wrap in plastic. Leave on the counter for 1 hour or pop it into the refrigerator for 3 hours to overnight.
• Prepare buttered onions: Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let mixture cool a bit, then transfer to a bowl and reserve until needed.
• Prepare filling: Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and mash until smooth. Let cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Place farmer's cheese in a bowl and break it up with a spoon. Add salt, pepper, and cayenne, then add 2 to 3 heaping spoons of the buttered onions. Be sure to drain off most of the butter so you're adding mostly onions. Mix just until ingredients are evenly combined.
• Add cooled mashed potatoes and mix until thoroughly combined. Set aside while you roll the dough.
• Roll ¼ of the dough at a time on a floured surface until very thin, at least 1/8-inch thick or thinner if possible. Cut 3 ½-inch circles out of the dough, saving all scraps for re-rolling.
• Add about 2 tablespoons filling to the center of each circle. Moisten your fingertips with water and wet the edges, then fold the dough over the filling and seal the two edges together in the center. Flatten the filling very lightly under the dough as you press and seal the edge of each pierogi with your fingers, working from the center to the ends. Try not to trap air in the pierogi as you seal. The edge can be left as is, or you can pinch the dough every inch or so to make pleats for a more decorative appearance.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pierogi in batches and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes (they may or may not float to the top.)
• While the pierogi are boiling, melt butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.
• Transfer pierogi from the boiling water directly into the melted butter. Cook until light golden brown, about 2 minutes per side or longer if more browning is desired.
• Continue boiling and browning pierogi in batches as needed.
• Transfer to a plate and spoon buttered onions over top. Garnish with sour cream and chives.

MOMMA PAT'S POTATO SALAD

Steps:

• Put the potatoes to a large pot, add enough cold water to fully cover and season the water liberally with salt. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes, rinse with cool water and place in a large bowl to cool for at least 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the eggs in a medium saucepan and add enough cold water to fully cover. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 12 minutes. Transfer the eggs to an ice bath until cool enough to handle, about 3 minutes. Peel the eggs, roughly chop, transfer to a small bowl and set aside. Add the eggs to the potatoes.
• Add the pepper, onion and celery to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to the bowl with the potatoes. Add the eggs and set aside.
• Whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, sweet relish and sugar in a small bowl. Add the Miss Brown's House Seasoning and whisk to combine. Add the seasoned mayonnaise to the potatoes and gently toss with a wooden spoon until coated. Taste and adjust the seasoning as desired. Transfer to a large serving bowl if desired. Sprinkle with the parsley and paprika. Serve immediately or chill in the fridge overnight.
• Stir everything together in a small bowl. Keep in an airtight container. Makes 5 teaspoons.