Polish Wild Mushroom Pierogi

Method26 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Clean and trim the 300 g fresh wild mushrooms, following any cooking directions for the variety, and place them in a small pot.

   Uses 300 g fresh wild mushrooms for the filling

2. 2

   Step 2: Peel the 2 filling onions. Cut half of one onion into 2–3 pieces for the mushroom pot, and finely chop the remaining one and a half onions for frying. Keep the optional topping onion separate.

   Uses 2 medium filling onions, about 350 g total

3. 3

   Step 3: Add the separate mushroom cooking water only to cover the fresh mushrooms. Put the prepared half onion from the filling-onion stock into the pot; reserve the remaining chopped filling onion for the pan.

   Uses The cleaned fresh mushrooms in the pot · Separate mushroom cooking water, just to cover; volume unmeasured · The prepared half filling onion

4. 4

   Step 4: Roughly crush the 2–3 whole allspice berries and 2–3 whole peppercorns and add them to the mushroom and onion pot. The ground pepper is reserved for seasoning the completed filling.

   Uses The mushrooms and half onion in their cooking water · 2–3 roughly crushed whole allspice berries · 2–3 roughly crushed whole black peppercorns

5. 5

   Step 5: Add the 1–2 bay leaves and an unmeasured pinch of filling salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the actual fresh mushrooms are fully cooked and soft, following the cooking directions for the variety. Add just enough of the separate mushroom water if needed to prevent the pot drying out.

   Uses The mushroom pot with onion, allspice and peppercorns · 1–2 bay leaves · A pinch from the unmeasured mushroom-pot/filling salt supply · Only additional mushroom cooking water needed to prevent drying

6. 6

   Step 6: While the mushrooms cook, melt the separate 3 tbsp filling butter in a frying pan. Fry all the reserved chopped one and a half filling onions until golden. Transfer this onion-butter mixture to a shallow bowl to cool, then refrigerate it if the filling will be delayed.

   Uses The remaining one and a half filling onions, chopped · 3 tbsp butter for the filling onion

7. 7

   Step 7: When fully cooked and soft, lift the mushrooms from the pot with a slotted spoon and spread them to cool. Discard the bay leaves, crushed whole spices and the half onion used to flavor the cooking liquid. Keep the actual mushroom cooking liquid for moistening the filling if necessary.

   Uses The cooked mushroom pot and its actual cooking liquid

8. 8

   Step 8: Finely chop all the cooled cooked mushrooms.

   Uses All the drained cooled cooked mushrooms

9. 9

   Step 9: Mix all the chopped cooked mushrooms with all the cooled fried filling onion and its butter. If the mixture is loose, stir in the optional 1 tbsp breadcrumbs. If it is dry, add only a little of the reserved mushroom cooking liquid; its actual amount is unmeasured.

   Uses All the finely chopped cooked mushrooms · All the cooled fried filling onion and its butter · Optional 1 tbsp breadcrumbs, only for a loose filling · A little of the actual reserved mushroom cooking liquid if needed

10. 10

    Step 10: Taste the cooked mushroom-onion filling. Adjust only if needed with the unmeasured filling salt and ground black pepper. Keep the completed filling refrigerated while making and shaping the dough.

    Uses All the mixed cooked mushroom and onion filling · Filling salt only as needed for the final taste adjustment · Ground black pepper to taste

11. 11

    Step 11: Prepare the work surface, a mixing utensil and a rolling pin for the basic hot-water dough below. Keep the cooked filling cold until needed.

12. 12

    Step 12: Measure the separate 500 g dough flour, 250 ml hot dough water and 1 tsp dough salt. Keep extra handling flour separate from the measured dough flour.

    Uses 500 g all-purpose dough flour · 250 ml hot dough water · 1 tsp dough salt

13. 13

    Step 13: Sift the measured dough flour onto the work surface and mix in the measured dough salt. Make a well and begin adding a small amount of the measured hot dough water, combining with a utensil first.

    Uses The measured 500 g dough flour and 1 tsp dough salt · A first small draw from the measured 250 ml dough water

14. 14

    Step 14: When comfortable to handle, knead the partly combined dough, gradually adding the remaining measured hot dough water until soft and elastic. If sticky, use only a little of the separate extra handling flour. Form a dough ball and keep it covered.

    Uses The partly mixed salted dough · The remaining measured hot dough water · Extra handling flour only if the dough is sticky; amount unmeasured

15. 15

    Step 15: Divide the kneaded dough into manageable parts. Lightly flour the work surface with the separate handling flour and place one part on it. Keep the other dough parts covered.

    Uses The kneaded mushroom-pierogi dough · Handling flour for the actual work surface, as needed

16. 16

    Step 16: Roll the first dough part into a thin sheet. Keep the remaining unrolled dough covered.

    Uses The first dough part selected for rolling

17. 17

    Step 17: Cut circles from the thin dough sheet using a glass or round cutter. Cover the circles and keep the offcuts with the covered unrolled dough for later rolling.

    Uses The first rolled thin dough sheet

18. 18

    Step 18: Take a small working portion of the completed mushroom filling from the fridge and form small filling balls that will fit inside the dough circles. Keep the rest of the filling chilled.

    Uses The actual small working draw of chilled filling; share unknown

19. 19

    Step 19: Place one small prepared mushroom-filling ball in the center of each dough circle, leaving a clean edge for sealing.

    Uses The actual dough circles being filled · The actual filling balls for those circles

20. 20

    Step 20: Fold each filled circle into a half-moon and press the edges firmly together so the filling is enclosed. Keep the formed dumplings covered while continuing.

    Uses The first filled dough circles

21. 21

    Step 21: Roll and cut the covered remaining dough and offcuts, draw further small portions from the chilled filling, and repeat the filling and sealing steps until all the dough you are using is formed. Keep unused filling chilled and dough covered; any surplus filling is separate from the assembled dumplings.

    Uses The first sealed mushroom pierogi · The covered remaining unrolled dough · The covered dough offcuts · The further filling draws actually needed; share unknown

22. 22

    Step 22: Bring a large pot of the separate pierogi cooking water to a boil. Season that bath with its own unmeasured salt and reduce to a gentle boil.

    Uses Separate water for the pierogi cooking pot; volume unmeasured · Separate pierogi-water salt, to taste

23. 23

    Step 23: Drop a small uncrowded batch of formed pierogi into the hot salted water. Cook for the source’s approximate 5–6-minute guide, until they float, their wrappers are tender and the filling is hot throughout.

    Boil mushroom pierogi batch · 6 minUses The actual small first batch of formed dumplings · The hot salted pierogi cooking water

24. 24

    Step 24: Lift out the cooked first batch with a slotted spoon. Repeat the same small-batch cooking in the same hot water until all the formed pierogi you are using are cooked, collecting every cooked batch together.

    Uses The first cooked batch · The actual remaining uncooked dumplings · The same hot salted cooking water

25. 25

    Step 25: For the author’s optional crispy finish, melt the separate 2 tbsp topping butter in a frying pan and add the separate chopped half topping onion. Once it turns translucent, add as many cooked pierogi as fit comfortably. Fry on both sides until the wrappers are lightly golden, moving the onion aside if it browns too quickly. Finish further selected portions in batches using the actual prepared onion-butter pan mixture, or skip this frying stage and serve the pierogi boiled.

    Uses Optional 2 tbsp topping butter · Optional separate 1/2 topping onion, about 70 g · The actual cooked portion selected for optional frying

26. 26

    Step 26: Serve the hot boiled pierogi and any optionally browned portion, topping the browned pieces with their prepared fried onion and butter. Refrigerate cooled leftovers promptly in a covered container for up to the author’s 3 days and reheat thoroughly.

    Uses Any actual boiled pierogi served without frying · The optionally browned pierogi and their prepared onion-butter topping, if made