Buttery, crisp Polish Pierogies stuffed with potatoes, cheese, and sauerkraut are a holiday favorite for my family. My sister taught me how to make Polish pierogies years ago. Last time we were together for Christmas, we made a double batch of these pierogies and our small crowd ate almost all of them!
Pierogies are a dough dumpling traditionally stuffed with potatoes, cheese, and/or sauerkraut. First boiled and then fried in butter, these little potato filled pockets are irresistible. I’m including our family’s favorite combination of potato, cheese and sauerkraut. We serve these pierogies with Polish Kapusta and everyone loves the combination.
I’m told that while my sister’s mother in law was growing up, it was common to ask their guests ahead of time whether they preferred potato/cheese or sauerkraut/cheese pierogies. Many people are very particular about their pierogi fillings. (I discovered this for myself when I asked how you all like your pierogies!) There are countless other filling options: meats, fruits, vegetables, the combinations are endless.
We learned how to make pierogies with Farmer’s cheese, a pot cheese that comes in a container and is very soft. If you can not locate farmer’s cheese in your market, you can substitute 2 ounces shredded Monterrey jack and 2 ounces ricotta cheese.
Kitchen Tip: I use this pot, this pan, and this spider to make this recipe.
- FILLING INGREDIENTS:
- 4 medium size potatoes any variety will work, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1/2 small onion chopped small about 1/3 cup
- 1/2 14 ounce can sauerkraut
- 4 ounces farmer's cheese *
- DOUGH INGREDIENTS:
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour plus more for kneading
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 - 1 cup very hot water
- COOKING & SERVING INGREDIENTS:
- 3/4 cup butter melted
- Toppings: sour cream applesauce
- FILLING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then simmer until fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the water and mash the potatoes. Place the potatoes in a mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator until cold.
- In a small skillet over medium heat, warm the oil and then saute the onion until tender. Let them cool for a few minutes and then add the cooked onions to the bowl of cold mashed potatoes. Place the sauerkraut in a strainer and rinse very well under running water, for at least 3 minutes. Drain thoroughly and add the sauerkraut to the bowl with the potatoes. Add the cheese and stir to combine. Store in the refrigerator until ready to make the pierogies. The filling can be made a day or two in advance and refrigerated until needed.
- DOUGH INSTRUCTIONS:
- Place the flour and salt in a large bowl and stir to combine. Make a small well with your hand and crack the egg into it. Stir to combine and then gradually add the hot water, mixing with your hands until the dough is very sticky and well combined. If it becomes too sticky and wet, add just a tablespoon or so more flour. The photo on the left is too wet, the one on the right (with the spoon in the bowl) is perfect. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
- COOKING INSTRUCTIONS:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Sprinkle a large board with flour. Transfer the dough to the floured surface and flip it over a few times to coat with flour. Gently knead the dough just a few times with your hands, adding a sprinkling of flour as needed.
- Shaping pierogies: Divide the dough into four sections and roll out one of the sections very thin, to about 1/8" thickness. (This should be just a bit thinner than a pie crust.) Cut into circles and place 1 tablespoon of the potato filling on one side. Fold over the circle and pinch around the dough. Place the prepared pierogies in a single layer onto a waiting plate. Don't stack them or the dough will stick together.
- Boiling pierogies: Drop the waiting pierogies into the water, a few at a time. Use a spoon or spatula to gently nudge them off the bottom of the pot if they stick. When they float to the surface of the water, lift them out carefully with a slotted spoon. Place them on a buttered plate and drizzle a small amount of melted butter on top of them to prevent sticking together. Let the boiled pierogies cool for a few minutes before frying them.
- Frying pierogies: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt a tablespoon of butter. When the butter sizzles, place the boiled pierogies in the skillet in a single layer. Let them cook 2-3 minutes, until lightly browned on the edges, flip over and repeat. The pierogies will not turn brown all over, but the edges should crisp and be light brown. Remove the finished pierogies to a buttered baking dish.
We find it easiest to rotate in batches of six to manage the process most efficiently. 6 waiting, 6 boiling, 6 cooling, 6 frying, repeat. It sounds a little overwhelming initially, but once you have a little assembly line set up, it goes fairly smoothly. We fill 18 pierogies before starting the first batch boiling and then just keep rotating through the stages. This is a half recipe and it can easily be multiplied for a crowd. We've found that this amount is much more manageable, especially for the first few times we made these.
{originally published 2/14/14 – notes and photos updated 11/18/17}
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