December Recipe of the Month - Polish Pierogi

Pierogi's are Polish-style dumplings made with a light dough stuffed with any number of delicious fillings.  This month, I'm sharing my grandmother, Freda's, recipe and my personal favorite, potato and cheese. 

Pierogi's are all about the dough.  Take your time, roll it thin, and make sure you close each dumpling securely before you boil them.

Get your children in on the action; younger kids can help cut the circles, of give them a fork to crimp the edges.  Older kids can stuff or boil them.  It's a wonderful memory to make, and delicious to eat!

• 2 lbs of russet potatoes
• 1 large yellow onion (divided)
• 2 tsp oil for sauté/frying
• 8 oz ricotta cheese (room temperature)
• 3 slices bacon

1. Boil potatoes (you can scrub potatoes and cook with skins on, removing them later, or peel them) in water: (cut/pierce) potatoes to help them cook faster (about 20 – 30 min)
2. Dice half of the onion.
3. Saute onion in 1 tbsp butter or 2 tsp oil
4. Let potatoes cool before removing skins if you left them on.
5. In a large bowl, mix together potatoes, onion and ricotta cheese.
6. Refrigerate for about 30 min or overnight (better).

• 4 cups flour
• 1 cup of hot water (boiled water, cooled just a little, but still hot)
• 1 tsp salt

1. In a food processor with dough blade, add flour and salt.
2. Pulse twice
3. Slowly add enough water until dough forms a ball
4. Process for one minute
5. Flour surface and place pierogi dough on it.
6. Knead dough by hand for about five minutes.
7. Keep flipping and flouring to ensure it doesn’t stick to the surface.
8. Divide dough in half, and place half in a plastic bag until ready to use.
9. Roll out dough until it’s thin on flour surface.
10. Using a biscuit cutter or glass, cut circles; dip cup in flour to prevent sticking.
11. Dough can be refrigerated for a couple days or frozen for later use.

1. Place 1 teaspoon of meat mixture onto pierogi dough circle.
2. Close dough around potato stuffing, stretching dough and sealing tightly with fingers and fork. If the dough gets dry, dip your fingers in water and run your index finger around the rim of the dough circle.
3. Boil large pot of salted water.
4. Add pierogi to water, careful not to crowd. Use a wooden spoon to ensure pierogi don’t stick to bottom.
5. Once pierogi start to float, leave them in for one more minute.
6. Remove pierogi with slotted spoon place on clean, dry kitchen towel to drain for a couple minutes.
7. Place on lightly greased sheet, or parchment paper.
8. You can freeze them, refrigerate them, or eat them with sour cream.

1. Heat skillet.
2. Add bacon and onion to skillet and cook until bacon and onion are browned (five min).
3. Remove from skillet.
4. Add pierogi, careful not to crowd.
5. Brown pierogi, turning to prevent burning.
6. Place browned pierogi on plate with paper towel to drain grease.
7. Serve warm covered in bacon, onion, and sour cream.