Christmas Pierogi Recipes that Will Remind You of Home

If your idea of home cooked Latvian food begins with a Pierogi recipe then you need to have a sampling of recipes for your friends and neighbors to enjoy. These 3 Pierogi Recipes make great meals for Christmas, and all other holidays.

If you are originally of Baltic decent then you know that dinners can begin and end with good Pierogi's. Whether you need a Pierogi recipe for an appetizer, a main dish or a full meal these 3 Pierogi Recipes can be used to make an entire meal. If you prefer you can break the recipes up and use any combination of the three.

Dough Preparation. Preparation for any Pierogi Recipe begins with the proper dough preparation. Use this preparation method for all Pierogi Recipes. Pierogi dough is an unleavened dough that you can make yourself or purchase. If you would like to attempt your own dough just use 4 cups of all purpose flour, 1 tsp. of salt, 2 tsp of vegetable oil, 1/4 tsp of baking powder, one small egg , and a cup of water. Mix the flour, salt, and baking powder well. In a separate bowl mix together the oil, water, and egg. Mix your wet and dry ingredients together and knead for 8-10 minutes. This should supply you with an ample amount of dough for your any Pierogi Recipe you wish to make.

Roll your unleavened dough and then cut into circles that are roughly the size of an average drinking glass. After seeing that you have enough Pierogi dough rolled out and cut you can begin the stuffing and rolling process.

Assembling your Pierogi's. My favorite Pierogi's are listed below and each contain the ingredients you need to begin with as you roll your Pierogi's together.

1. Smoked fish and Cheese. Smoked fish is lightly cooked over an open fire or grill. Choose whatever fish you would like to use, or have available to you and grill for 3-5 minutes over a smoky fire. Allow to dry and then dice your smoked fish into the smallest of portions. This will help to make sure your Pierogi won't become overstuffed and break. Sprinkle some Caraway Cheese into your Pierogi and then wrap tightly. Make sure that you are able to press the edges of your Pierogi together firmly.

2. Mashed Potatoes and Sauerkraut. Mix some firm mashed potatoes and cooked sauerkraut together until it is the consistency of cookie dough. Use whatever proportion your tastes desire, I prefer using a 6-1 ratio of mashed potatoes to sauerkraut. When you have arrived at your desired consistency place enough into your Pierogi dough that you can again press the sides firmly together.

3. Apples and sweet cheese. Boil about 6 finely sliced apples apples until they are plenty soft. After straining your apples, mash to a peanut butter consistency and allow to dry for about 2 hours. Mix in 1 cup of sugar, a teaspoon of cinnamon and a cup of caraway cheese. Wrap in your pierogi and press together firmly around the edges.

Cooking your Pierogi's. The preferred method of cooking a pierogi in Latvia is to either bake or fry. My preference is to bake in an oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

Pierogi's do take some practice for the beginner to master. If you have never made a Pierogi before you need to try your hand at it before inviting a bunch of your best friends over for Christmas dinner. Pay special attention when making any Pierogi Recipe to consistency and texture. Your consistency should always be about that of fresh cookie dough or peanut butter.