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Pierogies

My great-grandmother's recipe. A little bit of work, but well worth it. We make about 200 every Christmas Eve, and everyone can't wait. The amounts for the ingredients is an estimate, because my great-grandmother does not measure! Serve with a side of sour cream.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine central europe
Servings 16 people
Calories 507.1 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Bowl For mixing dough
  • 1 Rolling Pin For dough
  • 1 Cookie Cutter or Glass Approximately 3.5 inches for dough rounds
  • 1 Large Skillet For cooking onions and browning pierogies
  • 1 Large Saucepan For boiling pierogies

Ingredients
  

Main

  • 1 16 ounce container sour cream
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups cold mashed potatoes
  • ½ cup butter
  • 2 large onions chopped

Instructions
 

  • Place the sour cream in a large bowl, and mix in flour to make a dough. Roll the dough out on a floured surface about 1/16 inch thick, and cut rounds about 3 1/2 inches across using a cookie cutter or a glass. Re-roll the unused dough to make more rounds, up to 4 times -- after that, it gets hard to work with.
  • Place about 1 teaspoon of mashed potatoes in the center of each dough round, fold over into a half-moon shape, and press and seal the edges with a fork. Set the filled pierogies aside under a towel to prevent drying.
  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat, and cook and stir the onions until translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the cooked onions and set aside, leaving butter in the skillet.
  • Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil, and carefully drop a few filled pierogies at a time into the boiling water. After they float to the surface, allow them to gently boil for about 4 minutes.
  • Re-heat the butter in the skillet over medium heat. Gently scoop the pierogies out of the water (they break easily) and place them in the skillet to brown on the bottom, about 3 minutes. Place the fried pierogies on a buttered baking sheet, sprinkle them with the cooked onions, and keep warm in the oven on low setting until served.

Notes

Dough consistency is key; since measurements are approximate, adjust flour until the dough is smooth and pliable, but not sticky. Avoid overworking re-rolled dough as it becomes tough. For the filling, ensure mashed potatoes are well-seasoned. When sealing, press firmly with a fork to prevent leakage during boiling. Do not overcrowd the saucepan when boiling pierogies; cook in small batches to maintain water temperature and prevent sticking. Browning in butter adds a crucial depth of flavor and texture. For an extra touch, caramelize the onions a bit longer for sweetness, or add a pinch of paprika during browning.