Pierogi Ruskie

Name: Pierogi Ruskie
Prep time: 75 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 500 g plain wheat flour (plus extra for dusting); 250 ml warm water; 2 tbsp sunflower oil; 1 tsp salt (for the dough); 600 g floury potatoes (peeled and cut into chunks); 300 g twaróg farmer's cheese (half-fat, dry and crumbly); 3 whole onions (finely chopped); 60 g butter; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; salt (to taste, for the filling and cooking water); 200 g sour cream (18 percent śmietana, to serve)

Serves 6 · 120 min · Polish

Ingredients

500 g plain wheat flour
250 ml warm water
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 tsp salt
600 g floury potatoes
300 g twaróg farmer's cheese
3 onions
60 g butter
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
to taste salt
200 g sour cream

Method

01
Boil the potatoes Put the potato chunks in a pot of cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for about twenty minutes until they are completely soft.
02
Fry the onions While the potatoes cook, melt the butter in a frying pan over medium low heat and fry the chopped onions slowly for about fifteen minutes until soft and golden.
03
Split the onions Set aside about one third of the fried onions with their butter in the pan for serving, and keep the rest for the filling.
04
Mash the potatoes Drain the potatoes well, let them steam dry for a minute, then mash or press them until completely smooth.
05
Mix the filling Crumble the twaróg into the warm potato, add the filling onions, the black pepper and salt to taste, mix well, then leave it to cool completely.
06
Knead the dough Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, pour in the warm water and oil, and knead for about eight minutes until the dough is smooth, soft and elastic.
07
Rest the dough Cover the dough with an upturned bowl or a damp cloth and let it rest for thirty minutes.
08
Roll and cut Roll a quarter of the dough on a floured board until very thin, about two millimetres, and cut out circles about seven centimetres wide with a glass, keeping the rest of the dough covered.
09
Fill and seal Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the centre of each circle, fold it into a half moon and pinch the edges firmly together all the way along.
10
Boil in batches Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil, drop in about twelve pierogi, stir once so they do not stick, and once they float to the top cook them for two more minutes.
11
Lift and dress Lift the pierogi out with a slotted spoon and toss them gently in the pan with the reserved buttery onions.
12
Serve hot Serve the pierogi hot with a spoonful of sour cream on the side.

Method

Boil the potatoes

Put the potato chunks in a pot of cold salted water, bring to the boil and simmer for about twenty minutes until they are completely soft.

Use floury potatoes; waxy ones make a gluey, wet filling.

Boil the potatoes · 20 min

Fry the onions

While the potatoes cook, melt the butter in a frying pan over medium low heat and fry the chopped onions slowly for about fifteen minutes until soft and golden.

Keep the heat gentle so the onions turn sweet and golden, not dark and bitter.

Fry the onions · 15 min

Split the onions

Set aside about one third of the fried onions with their butter in the pan for serving, and keep the rest for the filling.

Mash the potatoes

Drain the potatoes well, let them steam dry for a minute, then mash or press them until completely smooth.

Mix the filling

Crumble the twaróg into the warm potato, add the filling onions, the black pepper and salt to taste, mix well, then leave it to cool completely.

Season boldly with pepper; the filling should taste slightly over seasoned because the dough mutes it. If you cannot find twaróg, use well drained dry curd cheese or quark pressed in a cloth.

Mix the filling · 30 min

Knead the dough

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl, pour in the warm water and oil, and knead for about eight minutes until the dough is smooth, soft and elastic.

If the dough sticks to your hands add a little flour; if it cracks add a spoonful of warm water.

Knead the dough · 8 min

Rest the dough

Cover the dough with an upturned bowl or a damp cloth and let it rest for thirty minutes.

Rest the dough · 30 min

Roll and cut

Roll a quarter of the dough on a floured board until very thin, about two millimetres, and cut out circles about seven centimetres wide with a glass, keeping the rest of the dough covered.

Fill and seal

Place a heaped teaspoon of filling in the centre of each circle, fold it into a half moon and pinch the edges firmly together all the way along.

Keep filling off the edges; even a little potato in the seam will make the pierogi burst open in the water.

Boil in batches

Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil, drop in about twelve pierogi, stir once so they do not stick, and once they float to the top cook them for two more minutes.

Keep the water at a lively simmer rather than a hard boil, which can tear the dough.

Boil in batches · 2 min

Lift and dress

Lift the pierogi out with a slotted spoon and toss them gently in the pan with the reserved buttery onions.

Serve hot

Serve the pierogi hot with a spoonful of sour cream on the side.

Leftovers are excellent the next day fried in butter until golden on both sides.

Pierogi Ruskie

Ingredients

Method

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