Preparation
Step 1
Mound flour on a kneading board and make a hole in the center. Drop eggs into the hole and cut into flour with a knife.
Step 2
Add salt and water and knead until firm. Let rest for 10 minutes covered with a warm towel.
Step 3
Divide dough in halves and roll thin. Cut circles with a large biscuit cutter.
Step 4
Place a small spoonful of filling a little to one side of each round of dough. Moisten edge with water, fold over and press edges firmly. Be sure they are well sealed to prevent filling from running out.
Step 5
Alternative Method: We suggest rolling out a large circle of dough, placing a small amount of filling far apart to allow for cutting and folding dough over the mounds of filling. Then cut with a small biscuit cutter and seal firmly.
Step 6
Drop pierogi into salted boiling water. Cook gently for 3-5 minutes. Lift out of water gently with a perforated spoon.
Step 7
Never crowd or pile pierogi. The uncooked will stick and the cooked will lose shape and lightness.
Step 8
Cheese Filling: Cream cheese with melted butter. Add other ingredients (egg, sugar, currants, cinnamon) and mix well. Serve with melted butter and sour cream.
Step 9
Cabbage & Mushrooms Filling: Quarter cabbage and cook in salted water for 15 minutes. Drain, cool and chop fine. Sauté onion in butter and continue to fry until flavor blends. Add sour cream. (Note: 2 cups sauerkraut may be substituted for the cabbage. Rinse and chop kraut).
Step 10
Mushroom Filling: Sauté onion in butter, add mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from fire, add egg yolks and stir well. Cool and fill pierogi. Serve with chopped onion browned in butter. (For mushrooms and meat – omit egg yolks and use 2 tablespoons of sour cream).
Step 11
Prune Filling: Soak prunes overnight. Cook with sugar and lemon juice. When cool, remove stones and fill. Serve with bread crumbs browned in butter.
Step 12
Ripe Plum Filling: Peel and stone plums. Fill cavity with sugar and cinnamon. Dip in sugar. Cover with dough and seal edges with egg white. Serve with whipped cream. (Note: Grandma cut plums into 1/2.. She never sealed with egg whites. Grandma served in sautéed onions with butter or browned in butter – delicious).
Step 13
Fresh Berry Filling: Use blueberries or cherries, sugar fruit generously 1/2 hour before using.
Step 14
Apple Filling: Peel and put apples through coarse grinder and mix with cinnamon (1/4 tsp) and sugar (1/2 cup). Cover cooked product with thick sour cream, butter crumbs, sugar and cinnamon. Bake.
Chef's Note
The dough has a tendency to dry while working. A dry dough will not seal completely. My mother, after she cooked them, fried them in sautéed onions and butter or just butter. Delicious.