Mom Photographer and The Gang

It happened yesterday.

All day long I was thinking about pierogi (not “pierogies” or “pierogis”, “pierogi” is already a plural form). I felt like I would really want to have some but I didn’t want to spend all afternoon in the kitchen rolling dough, filling, sealing and boiling. It’s a lot of work, and it takes time. Early morning I made apple pie so I thought I’m done being in the kitchen. At least till easy to make dinner. Gosh, I was so wrong.

Sometime about 5pm I decided to make them.

5PM?!?!!?!? really?!

My husband asked me when they will be done. I told him IN AN HOUR. Are you kidding me!? An hour!?! I know I am Polish and I grew up making them almost every friday…, but I am not a magician. I thought I could outsmart myself.

In about an hour my Facebook status was: One word: pierogi… and one more: homemade. oh and one more: WHY!?!?!?

I really was asking myself why I’m making them, and if it’s really worth it.

Anyway, normally I make pierogi in a huge amount. Half of it I freeze, so later during the week I have a quick, homemade and yummy dinner. This time I’d decided to make just enough for one time. So, I came up with a recipe that makes only a few pierogi (about 30!) so I wouldn’t be stuck in the kitchen all afternoon and evening 😉 And I was right. I took me about 2 hours to make those… .

This is the recipe:

• 2 cups of all-purpose flour

• 3/4 cup of boiling water.

Now the most important part.

The water MUST BE HOT HOT HOT! It has something to do with the flour reacting in particular way when mixed with very hot water. Later while rolling the dough and boiling pierogi they won’t fall apart. It actually works. If you have a recipe calling for luke warm or cold water – get rid of it. If you’d like you can use milk instead of water. HOT MILK. 

There is no need for salt or egg, but you can add those as well.

Knead it by hand. It takes about 10 minutes. First mix it with a knife or fork because it’s gonna be too hot for you to use hand.

For how to make pierogi step by step go here. I had no time to take pictures while making those. I was already overwhelmed just by making them and trying to be done with before midnight.

When you roll the dough it shouldn’t be to thin nor to thick. About 2 millimeters. Ah and if you don’t have round cutter, use a glass, big one. Turn it upside down and press the dough with it 🙂 It’s been the only way I cut my pierogi since I first learned how to make them. My mom used to cut them using glass and my mom’s mom…!

I always make 2 fillings. One for meat eaters and one for crazy vegetarians:

For the 1st one:

I simply fry some ground turkey (about half a pound) with fine chopped veggies (or at least onion), salt and pepper.

For the second:

Two medium size red potatoes boiled, mashed, mixed with very fine chopped onion about 2 tsp of butter (not margarine!) and handful of grated yellow cheese (something like jack cheese or cheddar cheese or both).

The first time I made them my husband asked me: What else is to eat?! It didn’t mean that he doesn’t want to eat them. He simply asked me what else we are going to eat with pierogi. (???) Hmmm… NOTHING 🙂 You could serve it with sauteed bacon and onion on top (but they might be to greasy), or some kind of gravy. That’s how I remember eating them for my entire life in Poland. That’s how most of people in Poland eat it (at least those who I know). There is a sour cream topping option – very popular in Poland, as well. 

Of course I eat it with ketchup (everything goes down well with ketchup, btw), sometimes with ranch dressing.

Yesterday he asked me the same question. So I asked him back: What would you eat them with?! He couldn’t answer. Oh well… that’s what you eat them with – I thought 😉

My daughter didn’t have nothing against eating it with nothing on top. She shoveled in two pierogi and she looked happy about that.

Of course can’t forget about dog! They usually share.

So, If you have an idea what to eat pierogi with share it with me. Maybe next time I’ll surprise my husband 🙂