Saturday, October 15, 2011

How to Make Perogies


I hope I don't get in trouble from my family for sharing this recipe ;)
This is a staple crucial item at holiday dinners.  I just made them for our (Canadian) Thanksgiving, and decided to document the process. 
The dough recipe is really simple. 
4 cups of flour
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
about 1 cup of water
1/2 cup softened butter or margarine

For the filling you can get creative.  The classic is mashed potatoes with a few cups of shredded cheese (to taste) mixed in while the potatoes are hot.  I've also had potato and cottage cheese, jalapeno ones, ricotta and spinach and I haven't tried, but I know blueberry dessert ones exist. 
Back to the classic.  While your cheesey mashed potatoes are cooling, mix your dough.  If the dough is too dry, add more water.  Too wet? Add some flour.
Knead the dough about a hundred times to get the softest dough you've ever seen. 
Roll out the dough onto some parchment paper.  
Don't roll too thin, you don't want holes in the dough, but too thick will make tough perogies.  If you have a round cookie cutter, congrats.  If not, use a drinking glass to cut the dough into circles.  

Plunk a spoonful of the cheesey potatoes onto the dough circles.  
Fold the dough circle around the filling and pinch the edge closed.  
Don't let the potato get in the way of the pinch, it won't stick properly. 

Repeat until you've run out of dough! This made 5 dozen perogies for me. 
(I used about 8 large potatoes and a half brick of old cheddar for the filling.)
Be careful to never stack the little pouches of deliciousness - they are very sticky. 
You're almost done! Fry some onions in butter.  Cook the perogies by boiling in water for 3-4 minutes, or until they float to the top.  Toss in melted onions and butter and serve!

If you'd like to freeze them you can.  Before cooking, place perogies in single layer on parchment paper on a cookie sheet in the freezer.  When frozen, toss into a container and store.  

Leftovers can be microwaved or fried in a pan to be extra unhealthy/crispy on the outside :)
Serve with sour cream, plain yogurt, or even salsa - sooo tasty!

Enjoy! And let me know if you make them!
Does your family have any must-have recipes?





25 comments:

  1. I literally have not had these in years! They don't have perogies over here. Now I know how simple they can be, I'll defo have to try. Thank you! They look amazing. Mmm.

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  2. I love perogies more than *almost anything*, but I've never made them myself. Now I'll have to try. Thanks! :D

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  3. ahh I love homemade perogies so so much! I had never made them myself until I moved to england for uni and my roommates had never tried them before and we couldn't find frozen ones anywhere. So we made them ourselves in a similar fashion.

    Love the photos!

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  4. HI Nice to have found your blog with your lovely photos. These look amazing.. Yummm. Carla

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  5. Thank you for sharing this recipe! I HAVE to try these. I love frozen pierogies and was always intimidated by the thought of making them myself. You make it look like fun though!

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  6. Thanks for posting this! I'm such a newb in the kitchen but I'm trying to learn. I think this will be my next food challenge!

    Also, just wanted to say you're such a talented photographer! I was looking at some of your other posts and the photographs are just absolutely lovely!

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  7. Mashed potatoes and sauerkraut is an excellent filling here in Cleveland, OH. of course there a truly many more :)

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  8. Made these for dinner tonight - - Amazing! They taste so much better than the frozen kind, I love that I know have just under 5 dozen sitting in my freezer for quick meals. Thanks :)

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  9. Potato, cheese, onion, and dill filling is sooo good!!!

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  10. Never made these from scratch. Definately going to make them soon. Thanks for sharing.

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  11. I grew up with desert perogies: filled with whatever fruit was fresh outside. In the winter when there was nothing growing we gorged ourselves on prune perogies.

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  12. Going to make today with leftover mashed potatoes and cooking up some cabbage either butter and onions. Thanks for the recipe.

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  13. They are made like German Cheese Buttons. Cheese Buttons have the dry curd cheese in them and boiled in water and then fried until golden.

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  14. Good detailed description. In Ukraine they called "Varenyki", pirogi is Polish word. Light version calls only for flour, water, soda and vinegar and salt or flour, water, some sugar and yeast.
    And in Ukraine they make it with many fillings 1) just cheese (Farmers cheese or Feta, not cheddar; it is usually sweet, so Ricotta works very ok); 2) potatoes with fried onions; 3) potatoes with cheese; 4) cabbage or sauerkraut; 5) buckweet / kasha; 6) meat / liver; 7) fruit (cherries or blueberries). I make double batch and freeze for later. Good recipe! Thank you fro posting!

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  15. We put cheese, onion and bacon or ham in with our potatoes then after boiling them fry them in onions, bacon and ham mixture. Hmmm, may just have to make me some this week.

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  16. Ah Mel!! Wow! I literally love these and haven't had them since my trip to Poland! I am totally making them right now.

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  17. I have only eaten perogi from the freezer since having them years and years ago in Ukraine. Just made them tonight w potato filling for the kiddos and I. We LOVED them - thank you so much for sharing your recipe!

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  18. I thought of also making dessert perogies with a combination of bananas and chocolate for the person with a sweet tooth that can't be satisfied. Never made them, but thinking I may give it a try.

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  19. I am making these right now, it's almost midnight lol. My kids and I are so excited to try a few tonight, before bed. They are for my mother in laws supper visit tomorrow. Also, this is the BEST perogy dough I've ever tried!! Thank you!!

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  20. This recipe is perfect! I've made and frozen them several times now, but we keep eating so many I have to make them again for the holidays. BTW, this was the first pierogi recipe I tried and it was simple enough that I could handle it. And I know it's good because I'm judging it against the Polish Delis on the South Side of Chicago where I grew up. :) Thank you!!!

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  21. My parents made these together. While my Dad made the dough, my Mom did the potatoes and cheese. Never had the recipe though so thanks! We also filled some with sour kraut and others with prune filling. We always fried them after boiling along with the onions until golden and crisp. Yum!

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  22. Do you have nutritional facts about each pierogie?

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    1. Hi, no sorry. Here's a link to what My Fitness pal calculates for "homemade perogie" http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/calories/homemade-perogies-187380731

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  23. I make the blueberry dessert perogies all the time along with sour cherry which are particularly tasty. I just sprinkle a scant amount of confectioners sugar on the fruit before I pinch it into the dough. For the cream, use 2 cups of sour cream to 1/4 cup confectioners sugar or more if you like it sweeter. Drizzle on the buttered hot perogies...super yummy!!!

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  24. I made your recipe a few months ago when I first pinned this. I have four children and only does doesn't like perogies. Well these won him over! no one could get enough. Thank you so much for sharing , they are on the menu for tonight. I'm going to try making a three cheese and potato one with some ricotta in them!

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thank you for leaving a comment! i love to know what you think :)

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