Fava Bean / Broad Bean Pierogi with Bacon

Method21 steps · about 45 min

1. 1

   Step 1: Rinse the 900 g fresh podded broad beans. If still in their outer pods, remove those first.

   Uses 900 g fresh podded broad beans

2. 2

   Step 2: Bring 2 litres water to the boil in a pot. Stir in the 1 tsp bean-water salt and 1 tsp sugar.

   Uses 2 litres bean cooking water · 1 tsp bean-water salt · 1 tsp sugar

3. 3

   Step 3: Add the rinsed beans to the boiling seasoned water. Let the water return to the boil, then reduce the heat.

   Uses All rinsed broad beans · The prepared bean cooking water

4. 4

   Step 4: Cook the beans for about 15 minutes, until soft enough to mash.

   Cook fava beans · 15 minUses The beans in their cooking water

5. 5

   Step 5: Drain the cooked beans, discard their cooking water and rinse under cold water. Let them cool enough to handle.

   Uses All cooked broad beans

6. 6

   Step 6: Dice the yellow onion (1) and 200 g smoked bacon for the filling.

   Uses 1 yellow onion, about 140 g · 200 g smoked bacon

7. 7

   Step 7: Melt the 1 tbsp frying butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and bacon and fry until lightly browned and the bacon is fully cooked.

   Uses 1 tbsp frying butter · All diced filling onion and bacon

8. 8

   Step 8: Mash or grind the drained, cooled beans until smooth. If preferred, remove their thin inner skins before mashing.

   Uses All drained cooked broad beans

9. 9

   Step 9: Mix the mashed beans with all the fried onion and bacon. Season with the 2 pinches filling salt,1 pinch black pepper and 1 tbsp dried lovage.

   Uses All mashed broad beans · All fully cooked filling onion and bacon · 2 pinches filling salt · 1 pinch black pepper · 1 tbsp dried lovage

10. 10

    Step 10: Sift the 600 g dough flour into a bowl and stir in the separate 1 tsp dough salt.

    Uses 600 g dough flour · 1 tsp dough salt

11. 11

    Step 11: Add the egg (1) and the 1 tbsp dough sour cream to the salted flour and combine.

    Uses All salted dough flour · 1 egg · 1 tbsp dough sour cream

12. 12

    Step 12: Gradually add warm water from the available 200 ml supply while kneading. Use only enough to make a soft, elastic dough.

    Uses The combined dough ingredients · Warm water, up to 200 ml as needed

13. 13

    Step 13: Cover the dough with a clean cloth and let it rest for 15 minutes.

    Rest the dough · 15 minUses All prepared dough

14. 14

    Step 14: Divide the rested dough into four parts. Lightly flour the worktop with the separate dusting flour, then roll one part at a time to 2–3 mm thick.

    Uses All rested dough, divided into four parts · Worktop flour as needed

15. 15

    Step 15: Cut rounds with a small glass or round cutter and gently stretch them. Put 1 heaped teaspoon of prepared bean-and-bacon filling in the centre of each round.

    Uses The thin rolled dough portions · 1 heaped tsp prepared filling per round; actual portion of the batch varies

16. 16

    Step 16: Fold each round over its filling and press the edges firmly together to seal. Continue with the remaining dough, using the same heaped-teaspoon filling portions. Dumpling count varies with size; if cooked filling remains when the dough is used up, refrigerate it promptly rather than overfilling the dumplings.

    Uses The filled rounds and remaining dough rounds · Further heaped-teaspoon filling portions as needed; unused filling may remain

17. 17

    Step 17: Bring at least 2 litres fresh water to the boil in a large pot, using enough for the dumpling batches. Season with the separate bath salt.

    Uses Fresh pierogi cooking water, at least 2 litres · Separate bath salt as needed

18. 18

    Step 18: Add 10–12 sealed pierogi at a time to the boiling water, keeping the remaining dumplings for later batches.

    Uses The assembled pierogi, in batches of 10–12 · The prepared fresh cooking water

19. 19

    Step 19: Let the water return to the boil, reduce the heat and cover. Once the dumplings float, cook for another 2 minutes, until the dough is cooked through and the cooked filling is hot.

    Cook after the pierogi float · 2 minUses The current cooking batch

20. 20

    Step 20: Lift the cooked pierogi out with a slotted spoon. Repeat the cooking and lifting stages for the remaining batches.

    Uses The fully cooked pierogi batches

21. 21

    Step 21: Serve the hot pierogi with the 2 tbsp melted serving butter and 2 tbsp chopped fresh lovage distributed across the plates. Offer the optional 120 ml sour-cream dip alongside, using as much as desired.

    Uses The cooked drained pierogi · 2 tbsp melted serving butter · 2 tbsp chopped fresh lovage · Optional sour-cream dip, from the 120 ml supply