Polish Perogies Recipe

This simple peasant food from Poland has become popular around the world. Perogies are stuffed dough, somewhat similar to Italian ravioli. They are often filled with mashed potatoes, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, bacon, or sauerkraut, or any combination of the above. Perogies can also be filled with fruit to make a dessert-style dish but these are less common.

My favorite home made perogies feature mashed potatoes, onions, cheddar cheese, and bacon. We serve them with sour cream for dipping. Perogies are cooked twice; they are first boiled like ravioli and then are fried in butter. They can be frozen before cooking and dropped frozen into boiling water when needed. They do take some work to make but are a great project for a lazy weekend afternoon with friends. Make multiple batches at the same time and freeze the rest.

Polish Perogies Recipe

Dough:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup sour cream

Filling:

5 large baking potatoes, peeled and diced
1 large onion
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon
1/2 cup fresh chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Black pepper to taste

To make the dough: Mix the flour and salt thoroughly in a large bowl. Cut in the butter until the dough resembles pea gravel. Add egg and sour cream and mix until it becomes a soft dough (can also use a food processor for this). If the dough is too sticky, add more flour and if too dry, add more sour cream. Don't over-mix. Wrap dough ball in plastic wrap and let rest in refrigerator for an hour minimum.

To make the filling: Boil potatoes in salted water until soft. Drain and mash. Saute onions in a small amount of butter until soft and translucent. Add all ingredients to the potatoes and mix thoroughly until consistent mixture. Allow to cool.

To make perogies: Roll out the perogie dough on a floured board to a thickness of 1/8th of an inch. Cut circles from dough with either a floured drinking glass or a cookie cutter. You can use diameters of 2 inches to 4 inches depending on how large you want your perogies. Place a small amount of filling in the center of each circle (about a tablespoon for an average size perogie). Wet edges of dough circle by dipping a finger in water and rubbing it gently around the edge. Fold edges over to form a semi-circle and press closed with a fork. Ensure that there is no trapped air inside the perogies or they will burst when boiled. Boil water in a large deep pot with 2 tablespoons of salt. Gently place several perogies in the water to boil. Don't overcrowd the pot. The perogies are done when they rise to the surface of the water. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a large platter covered with paper towels. Continue until all perogies are boiled. In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons of butter and heat until butter melts. Add perogies, a few at a time, and brown for a few minutes on each side. Serve with sour cream.

Polish Perogies are part of the January Meal Plan