Pierogi are made from unleavened dough and stuffed with either a sweet or savory filling.In Central and Eastern Europe, pierogi are often boiled, fried, and served with melted butter, sour cream, or fried onions.Sweet pierogi are stuffed with fruit, boiled, and served with yogurt, ice cream, or other dessert.When you make your own pierogi, you can always store them in the freezer.
Step 1: Combine the flour and salt.
Put a strainer over the bowl.If you want to sift the dry ingredients into the bowl below, tap the strainer against the side of your hand.The air in the flour will be softer if the dry ingredients are sieved.
Step 2: The water should be boiling.
The water should be boiled in a kettle or saucepan.The water should be poured into the flour mixture when it is boiling.Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon.Keep stirring and use a fork to break down any clumps of the mixture.
Step 3: The dough needs to be rest before the water is added.
Place a tea towel over the bowl.Give the dough five minutes to rest.Add the cold water after removing the towel.To fully incorporate the water, stir the dough with a wooden spoon.You can replace up to 75% of the water with milk when making pierogi dough.When making sweet pierogi, the milk makes the dough slightly sweeter and more delicate.
Step 4: The dough needs to be rested again.
After all the water has been incorporated into the dough, cover the bowl with a clean tea towel.Allow the dough to rest for 15 minutes.The time will allow the dough to relax and not be hard.
Step 5: Put the oil in theKneading.
Remove the dough from the flat surface.Rub the oil into the dough with your hands.When the oil is fully incorporated and the dough is a smooth, uniform ball, continue kneading for five to 10 minutes.You can use butter instead of oil.
Step 6: For another 10 minutes, rest the dough.
The dough should be covered with a tea towel.You can leave the dough for longer as you prepare the filling if you set it aside for 10 minutes.
Step 7: Put the potatoes into a container and peel them.
The potatoes should be washed under running water and the skin scrubbed with a vegetable brush.Remove the washed potatoes from the tea towel and pat them dry.The skins can be removed with a knife or vegetable peeler.
Step 8: Cut the potatoes into small pieces.
The potatoes should be placed on a cutting board.Use a sharp knife to cut each potato.It will cut down on the time they have to boil.
Step 9: The potatoes need to be boiled.
The water should be in a medium saucepan.Bring the water to a boil by putting the lid on it.Add the potato chunks when the water is boiling.Return the water to a boil.Cook the potatoes in the pan for 10 minutes.
Step 10: The potatoes should be dried.
Remove the potatoes from the heat when they are cooked through.Return the potatoes to the hot saucepan by draining them in a colander.To get the steam out of the potatoes, heat them over low heat for two minutes.The filling won't be soggy or overly wet if the potatoes are dried this way.
Step 11: The potatoes should be mashed with the remaining ingredients
The cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg should be put in the saucepan with the potatoes.To combine all the ingredients, use a fork, potato masher, or hand mixer.You can use any cheese you want in this recipe.The pierogi will have a strong cheese flavor.
Step 12: You can wash the berries.
The strawberries should be put in a strainer.To remove dirt from the berries, rinse them under running water and gently scrub them with your fingers.You can make a substitution for some or all of the strawberries in this recipe.
Step 13: The stems should be removed and the berries chopped.
Remove the strawberries from the towel.To cut the stem from a berry, use a small knife.Cut the berries into quarters, and then dice them into chunks.If you're using bilberries, cut them in half or quarters.
Step 14: Put the sugar in the berries.
The strawberries should be put in a mixing bowl.To coat the berries with the sugar, stir the mixture with a spoon.If you want, you can add another 14 g of sugar to the taste of the berries.
Step 15: The sugar will help the berries absorb it.
The juices should be dissolved for 30 minutes.The berries will release their juices when they sit in the sugar.
Step 16: The dough needs to be pulled out.
When the dough has had time to relax and the filling is ready, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.The dough should be cut in half.Roll each dough ball into a circle that's one-eight-inch (3-mm) thick with a heavy rolling pin.The dough needs to be thin enough that you can work with it, but not so thin that it will tear.The pasta maker can be used to roll out dough.
Step 17: Cut the dough in half.
To cut out as many circles from the dough as you can, use the rim of a drinking glass, a round cookie cutter, or a pierogi cutter.Place the circles of dough on a plate.Pick up the dough scraps and form them into a ball.Cut out more pierogi by rolling out the extra dough into a round sheet.
Step 18: The filling should be put in each circle of dough.
Take a small amount of your filling and place it in the center of the dough circle.Adding too much filling will cause the pierogi to burst.Continue until all the dough has been stuffed or the filling is gone.Leftover filling can be kept in the refrigerator or freezer.
Step 19: Seal the pierogi with half of them.
You can brush a drop of water around the edge of the dough circle with a pastry brush.Semicircles can be formed by folding the pierogi in half around the filling.Use your fingers to press out the air from the middle of the pierogi and then press the edges together to seal it.Continue until all the pierogi are sealed.To seal the pierogi, press the edges with a fork.These can be made with a special pierogi maker that will cut the dough and fold it.
Step 20: The water needs to be boiled.
The saucepan should be filled with water.To prevent the pierogi from sticking together, add a pinch of salt and a dash of oil.Bring the water to a boil in the pan.
Step 21: The pierogi can be boiled for a while.
Drop 15 pierogi into the water when it's boiling.The pierogi will start to float.The pierogi should be cooked for three minutes after they float.When the dough becomes soft, the pierogi are ready.If the pierogi don't fit in the saucepan at once, you can cook them in batches.
Step 22: The pierogi should be removed with a spoon.
Remove the pierogi from the water in batches using a spoon when the dough is soft.To dry off the pierogi, transfer it to a large plate.If necessary, cook any remaining pierogi by boiling the water.
Step 23: Pierogi are Fry in butter.
If you want your pierogi to have an added crunch, you can fry them in a pan with butter or oil.Put a small amount of butter into a frying pan and heat it up.When the butter has melted, add the pierogi and cook them for three to four minutes on each side.Pierogi will likely burst, so don't fry them.The frying is optional because pierogi are ready to eat as soon as they're boiled.
Step 24: The pierogi should be served with caution.
When they're still hot, boiled or fried pierogi are the best to eat.You can either eat the pierogi plain or add your favorite topping, such as ice cream, yogurt, brown sugar, or fruit.