Pierogi (Polish Dumplings)

Method11 steps · about 40 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Peel and chop the onion (⅓ cup), measuring one-third cup for this filling and keeping the separate half cup for the potato filling. Melt only the two tablespoons sauerkraut-filling butter over medium heat and cook the one-third cup onion for about five minutes until translucent.

   Soften onion for sauerkraut filling · 5 minUses 2 tbsp butter for sauerkraut filling · ⅓ cup chopped onion for sauerkraut filling

2. 2

   Step 2: Drain and mince all the sauerkraut (1½ cups). Stir it into the actual cooked onion and butter for five more minutes, season with its separate salt and black pepper and transfer to a plate to cool.

   Cook sauerkraut with its onion · 5 minUses All cooked sauerkraut-filling onion · 1½ cups sauerkraut, drained and minced in step 2 · Salt for sauerkraut filling, to taste · Black pepper for sauerkraut filling, to taste

3. 3

   Step 3: Melt only the separate three tablespoons potato-filling butter in the skillet. Add the separate half cup chopped onion and cook for about five minutes until translucent.

   Soften onion for potato filling · 5 minUses 3 tbsp butter for potato filling · ½ cup chopped onion for potato filling

4. 4

   Step 4: Stir all the ready-cooked mashed potatoes (2 cups) into the actual potato-filling onion and butter, with the separate teaspoon each of potato-filling salt (1 tsp) and white pepper (1 tsp). Take off the heat and allow this filling to cool before enclosing in dough.

   Uses All cooked potato-filling onion · 2 cups cold cooked mashed potatoes · 1 tsp salt for potato filling · 1 tsp white pepper for potato filling

5. 5

   Step 5: Beat all the sour cream (8 oz) and three eggs together until smooth. Sift together only the three cups dough flour, baking powder (1 tbsp) and quarter-teaspoon dough salt (¼ tsp), then stir the dry mixture into the sour-cream mixture until a dough forms.

   Uses 3 large eggs · 8 oz sour cream for dough · 3 cups all-purpose flour for dough · ¼ tsp salt for dough · 1 tbsp baking powder

6. 6

   Step 6: Dust the work surface lightly with the separate extra flour. Knead the actual dough until firm and smooth, divide it into two equal halves and keep one half covered while rolling the other to one-eighth inch thick.

   Uses The complete dough · Extra all-purpose flour for dusting the work surface, as needed

7. 7

   Step 7: Cut the rolled first dough half into three-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter. Gather and reroll its scraps as needed, keeping the second dough half covered for the sauerkraut batch.

   Uses Only the rolled first half; retain the covered second half

8. 8

   Step 8: Put a small spoonful of the cooled actual potato filling in each first-half round. Moisten the edges with sealing water, fold each round in half and press the edges firmly with a fork so the dumplings are completely sealed. Avoid overfilling; keep any excess filling separate.

   Uses All first-half rounds · Small spoonfuls of cooled potato filling · Water to moisten dough edges, as needed

9. 9

   Step 9: Roll the reserved second half of the actual dough to one-eighth inch thick on the lightly floured surface, cut three-inch rounds and fill each with a small spoonful of the cooled sauerkraut filling. Moisten edges with sealing water, fold and fork-seal as for the first batch. Hold any excess filling separately.

   Uses Only the reserved second dough half · Small spoonfuls of cooled sauerkraut filling · Extra all-purpose flour for dusting the work surface, as needed · Water to moisten dough edges, as needed

10. 10

    Step 10: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the actual formed pierogi in batches without crowding. Cook each batch for three to five minutes, until the dumplings float and their dough is cooked through; repeat for both fillings.

    Boil each pierogi batch until floating and dough is cooked · 5 minUses Potato dumplings in batches · Sauerkraut dumplings in batches · Water for a large boiling pot, as needed · Salt to lightly season boiling water, as needed

11. 11

    Step 11: Lift each actual cooked batch out with a slotted spoon and drain. Serve the boiled pierogi, or melt a little separate optional finishing butter in a skillet, soften the optional extra chopped onion and pan-fry the cooked dumplings until golden on each side. The batch makes about forty-eight dumplings, or twelve portions; this optional crisp finish adds extra time.

    Uses All cooked dumplings, lifted and drained in batches · Extra butter for optional pan-frying, as needed · Extra chopped onion for optional pan-frying, as desired