Potato Cheddar Pierogi Recipes

POTATO AND CHEESE PIEROGI

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes; drain.
• Combine flour, eggs and salt. Mix in a little water at a time until dough is somewhat stiff. Roll dough in small sections about 1/4 inch thick. Using a large biscuit cutter or drinking glass, make circle cuts.
• To make filling: Mix together potatoes, cheese, salt, pepper and onion salt. Fill each with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the potato mixture, fold over and seal edges. To cook, bring a large pot of water to boil, carefully dropping in one at a time; stir once. They are done when they float to the top.

UNCLE BILL'S POTATO/CHEDDAR FILLING FOR PEROGIES

Steps:

• In a medium size saucepan, add potatoes and just cover with water.
• Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• Drain and mash potatoes.
• Add grated cheese and mix well.
• Cheese will melt and will be incorporated with the potatoes.
• In a frying pan, add butter, chopped onions and garlic and saute' for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add saute'ed onion/garlic to the potatoes in the saucepan and mix well.
• Add beaten eggs, salt and pepper and mix well.
• The amount of filling to use will depend on the size of Mini Form you will be using.
• If using the 4" Mini Form, use 1 heaping tablespoon of filling.
• The filling mix handles best when cooled.

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.

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.

PIEROGI RUSKIE (POTATO AND CHEESE PIEROGI)

Steps:

• Prepare the dough: Add the flour and salt to a large bowl; whisk to combine. In a small saucepan, heat 1/2 cup water and the butter over medium-high until butter is melted, about 3 minutes. Pour the buttery liquid into the flour gradually, stirring it in as you add it. (The dough will be quite crumbly and flaky at this point, like a biscuit dough.) Stir in the egg until combined then move the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth, 5 to 7 minutes. Cover the dough with a dampened towel or plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Prepare the filling: Peel the potatoes and cut into 1-inch cubes. Add them to a large pot, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt and cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high and continue to cook at a simmer until potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes.
• While the potatoes cook, prepare the onions: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high. Add the onions, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown and softened, about 12 minutes. Set aside about 1 cup of onions for garnish and add the rest to a medium bowl.
• Transfer the cooked potatoes to a colander to drain, then transfer to the medium bowl with the onions. Add the cheese, stir to combine, season generously with salt and pepper, then let cool.
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high.
• Prepare the wrappers: Cut the dough into two even pieces. (You'll want to leave one piece under the towel to stay moist while you work with the other piece.) You'll also want a small bowl of flour, a small bowl of water and a towel handy for keeping your hands clean. Dust some flour onto a baking sheet (for holding the pierogi) and your work surface, then roll out one portion of dough until 1/8-inch thick. Using a 3-inch cookie cutter or inverted glass, punch 12 to 15 disks of dough. (Save and refrigerate the scraps to boil as a rustic pasta, in soup or another use.)
• Assemble the pierogi: Working with one disk at time, spoon a scant tablespoon of filling onto the middle of it. Fold the dough in half to enclose the filling, bringing the edges together to form a crescent shape. Pinch the two sides together at the top, then work your way down on both sides, pinching the dough over the filling and pushing in the filling as needed, making sure the potato mixture does not break the seal. If needed, you can dip your fingertip into water and moisten the dough in spots as needed to help the two sides adhere together.
• To form a rustic pattern on the curved seal, pinch the rounded rim underneath using your pointer finger and middle finger and press an indentation on top with your thumb, working your way along the rounded rim. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. (If you've gotten some filling on your fingers, dip your fingertips into the bowl of water then dry them off on the towel.)
• Repeat with remaining disks, then repeat the entire process with the remaining portion of dough. You'll want to work fairly quickly, as the pierogi can be harder to seal if they start to dry out. (If cooking the pierogi at a later point, transfer them on the baking sheet to the freezer until frozen solid, then transfer the pierogi to a resealable bag and freeze.)
• To cook the pierogi, add a single layer of pierogi to the pot of boiling water. Let them cook until they rise to the surface, about 2 minutes, then cook another 2 to 3 minutes until puffy. (With frozen dumplings, you will need to increase the cooking time by a couple of minutes.) Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked dumplings to a colander to drain, then boil remaining dumplings.
• If you want to pan-fry your pierogi, working in batches, melt 1 to 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high until crackling. Add a few boiled pierogi in a single layer to avoid overcrowding, and cook until crisp and golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining pierogi, adding butter as needed.
• Serve hot. Top with any browned butter from the pan, warmed reserved onions, sour cream and herbs.

POTATO AND GOAT CHEESE PIEROGI

Steps:

• Place potato in a large pan, and cover by 2 inches with cold water. Add 1 tablespoon salt, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium, and cook until tender, about 40 minutes. Drain, and holding the potato with a kitchen towel, peel while hot. Pass potato through a food mill, fitted with the finest disk, or a potato ricer into a large bowl.
• Add goat cheese, shallot, egg yolk, cream, sage, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper, and mix well using a wooden spoon.
• To form dumplings, place a circle of pierogi dough on a work surface, and put a heaping teaspoon filling toward the front of the circle. Moisten the edges of the dough with water, and fold in half around the filling to form a semicircle, firmly pinching the edges closed. Set aside on a lightly floured baking sheet. Continue to fill and form pierogi, keeping them covered with plastic wrap, until all the dough is used up.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and add half the pierogi. Boil gently until they float to the surface, about 2 minutes, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes more. Lift out with a slotted spoon, and repeat with remaining pierogi. Serve immediately.