All You Knead to Know About Perfect Pierogis!

Poland has added many wonderful things to the world -- from

Chopin's music to the work of Madam Curie, but there is one that
universally brings joy to all: pierogis! Pierogis are dumplings made
of unleavened dough and stuffed with your selection of savoury or
sweet mixtures, though they are most commonly filled with
potatoes. One might think the proof is in the stuffing, but it's really
how you prepare the dough.
 
Take a Krakow These Pierogi Tips!

1. When making Pierogis, it’s first important that you prepare the
filling -- whether it be a sweet or savoury one. This is vital since
the dough, once ready, is delicate and will need to move quickly.
Having pre-made filling allows for their immediate addition to the
pot once filled and folded.

2.  Keep it consistent. Consistency in pierogi dough is important for

the outcome of a perfect pierogi. If it's too thin, your pierogis will
cook apart during the boil. But, if the dough’s too thick, the
dumpling won’t cook through. So, to achieve the perfect dough,
beware of how it's reacting as you roll it out. It’s a fairly forgiving
dough, so if it’s too sticky, add more flour, but if it's too dry,
introduce warm water in small increments.

3.  To create the perfect pierogi half-moon shape, no special tools

are needed. Simply take a drinking glass and press it into your
dough. This gives you a decent sized pierogi and a uniform shape
for the whole batch!

4.  Once in the desired shape and filled, it's time to place them in
the pot. In this part, you must correctly place each pierogi in and
only add a few at a time to give each its proper cook time and
space to breathe. The dumplings will rise to the top and float once
they have cooked through.

5.  If you’d like to polish off this dish in a non-traditional way, try
heating a pan, adding oil and onions to sauté your newly boiled
dumplings. This adds a crispy and tasty edge to an already
delicious recipe! Or, for the ultimate indulgence, add a dollop of our
sweet-and-savoury bacon jam.” Taste buds will sing.
 All You Knead to Know About Perfect Pierogis!
The Very Best Potato Pierogi Recipe
32 servings
INGREDIENTS
For the dough:
 4 cups all-purpose flour
 1 teaspoon kosher salt
 1 cup whole milk
 2 eggs lightly beaten
 1/4 cup sour cream
For the filling:
 5 large russet potatoes peeled and quartered
 1 teaspoon kosher salt
 3 tablespoons butter
 3 large Vidalia onions diced
 1 1/2 cups large curd cottage cheese
 8 ounce cream cheese room temperature

INSTRUCTIONS
1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, blend together the flour
and salt on low speed.
2. Whisk together the milk, egg and sour cream. Slowly add the milk mixture to
the flour in a steady stream.
3. Continue to blend the flour mixture together until a shaggy dough forms and
the dough starts to pull away from the sides of the bowl.
4. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 1 hour.
5. Add the potatoes to a pot and fill with water to just cover the potatoes. Stir in
the salt and bring the potatoes to a boil.
6. Turn the heat to low and continue cooking the potatoes until fork tender,
approximately 20 minutes.
7. While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium
heat.
8. Add the onions to the pan. Cook until caramelized and golden brown,
approximately 20 minutes.
9. Drain the potatoes and transfer to a large bowl.
10. Add the onions, cottage cheese and cream cheese to the potatoes. Mash
using a potato masher until well blended.
11. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
12. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the dough to approximately 1/4 inch
thick. Cut out rounds with a 2 3/4-inch cutter. Place on a baking sheet, and
cover with plastic wrap.
13. Using your hands, lightly flatten the dough disk to stretch it out a bit.
14. Place approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons potato filling in the center of the dough
and fold the top half down over filling, gently pressing to squeeze out any air
and seal by pinched the seam together.
15. Return to baking sheet and cover.
16. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
17. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 4 dumplings. Cook, stirring
gently to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot, until dumplings rise to the
surface, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with
paper towels, and pat dry. Transfer to a serving platter, and cover with foil to
keep warm.
18. Repeat with remaining pierogis.
19. Serve with melted butter, caramelized onions and sour cream, if desired.