Perogies
Perogies are my dad’s favorite and I’m posting them so dad will always be able to make them! I grew up making them with Grandma Reimer when ever we had a visit. Lately, I’ve branched out from the potato versions into beet experiments and pairing perogies with a summer salmon on the BBQ. My fillings are still a work in progress but here are the classics.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, sliced
sour cream
Dough:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cup (approx) water
4 tsp vegetable oil
Filling:
1 tbsp butter
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup cold mashed potatoes
3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Preparation:
Dough: In bowl, combine flour with salt. Beat together egg, water and oil; stir into flour mixture to make soft but not sticky dough that holds together in ball. If necessary, add 1 tbsp water at a time, being careful not to make dough sticky.
Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface; knead about 10 times or just until smooth. Halve dough; cover with plastic wrap or damp cloth. Let rest for 20 minutes.
Filling: Meanwhile, in skillet, heat butter over medium heat; cook onion for 3 to 5 minutes or until tender. Transfer to bowl and mix in potatoes, cheese, salt and pepper.
Working with one portion of dough at a time and keeping remaining dough covered, roll out on lightly floured surface to about 1/16-inch thickness. Using 3-inch round cutter, cut dough into rounds.
Place 1 tsp filling on each round. Lightly moisten edge of one half of dough with water; pinch edges together to seal and crimp attractively. Place on cloth; cover with damp cloth to prevent drying out. Repeat with remaining portion of dough.
In large pot of boiling salted water, cook perogies, in batches, for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes or until they float to top, stirring gently to prevent perogies from sticking together or to bottom of pot. With slotted spoon, remove to colander to drain.
In large heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat; cook onion for about 5 minutes or until golden. Add perogies and toss to coat and warm through. Serve with sour cream.
Additional Information
Filling Variations:
Cottage Cheese: Combine 1 cup pressed cottage cheese, 1 beaten egg, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1 tbsp chopped green onion.
Mushroom: In skillet, melt 2 tbsp butter over medium heat; cook 3 cups chopped mushrooms and 1/3 cup finely chopped onion for 7 to 9 minutes or until moisture has evaporated. Remove from heat; stir in 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp chopped fresh dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Tip: You can cover the perogies with a damp towel and refrigerate them for up to 8 hours before cooking. Freeze uncooked perogies with the potato filling and the mushroom filling on baking sheets, then pack them in freezer bags and freeze for up to 1 month. Do not thaw them before cooking.
