Grandma wrote this recipe for me years ago. I like fresh from the garden raw string beans. This is my favorite way to eat them cooked and I make it often in the summer.
While I kept Grandma’s original recipe, I put my changes in parenthesis. When we make this, I often use more potatoes, sometimes as much as half potatoes and half string beans, though I prefer it closer to 1:4. This is good as a soup or with less liquid as a stew.
We often garnish with cheese and bacon with tortilla chips on the side.
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.
