My mom taught my siblings and me how to make pierogi when we were very little. I can only remember making cheese pierogi and there were no measurements for the filling. “Add potato flakes to cottage cheese until the cottage cheese is dry. Let sit a few minutes and season with salt and pepper.”
Grandma had many different ways to make pierogi, but sauerkraut is probably my favorite. After making, warm up pierogi in a heavy pan with butter and sau·téd onions. If desired, add sour cream before serving. This makes a great meal, but is best when served with green vegetables or salad.
- Mold flour on kneading board and make hole in center.
- Drops eggs into hole and cut into flour with knife.
- Add salt and water and knead until firm.
- Let rest 10 minutes covered with a warm bowl.
- Divide dough into halves and roll thin.
- Cut circles with large biscuit cutter.
- Saute onion and mushrooms in butter.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Stir in drained sauerkraut and sour cream.
- Stir well.
- Place a small spoonful of filling a little to one side of each round of dough.
- Moisten edge with water, fold over and press edges together until firm.
- Be sure they are well sealed to prevent the filling from running out.
- Drop pierogi into salted boiling water.
- Cook gently for 3-5 minutes.
- Lift out of water carefully with perforated spoon.
- To warm up pierogi, melt butter in heavy pan and pan fry pierogi until browned.
The dough has a tendency to dry while you are working. A dry dough will not seal. If using cabbage instead of saurkraut, saute with onions until soft.