Ingredients
Filling
- 8.82 ounces Polish twarog cheese (or farmer’s cheese or dry cottage cheese)
- 1½ pounds potatoes (unpeeled)
- 1 medium onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons butter
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt (plus lots of freshly ground pepper)
Dough
- 2¾ cups all-purpose/plain flour
- ¾ cup hot water
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (or butter)
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Make Filling: Peel and halve or quarter the potatoes, then boil them in salted water until tender. Drain thoroughly and mash until creamy. Set aside to cool. Meanwhile, heat a pan with vegetable oil and butter, gently fry the finely chopped onion for a few minutes until softened and translucent, but not browned. Add the sautéed onion to the mashed potatoes.
- Add Cheese: Incorporate the Polish twarog cheese into the potato mixture along with salt and a generous amount of freshly ground pepper. Use a potato masher to mix everything well. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Form the filling into small balls about the size of a small walnut (approximately 18 grams each). Refrigerate these balls while preparing the dough.
- Make Dough: In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and oil. Gradually add hot water while stirring with a spatula or spoon. Knead briefly to form a rough dough then transfer to a lightly floured surface. Knead for 6-8 minutes until the dough becomes silky smooth and soft. Cover loosely with cling film to prevent drying and allow it to rest for 30 minutes or longer.
- Roll Out Dough: Divide the dough into three parts to work with easily. Roll out one portion on a lightly floured surface to about 2mm thickness, keeping other portions covered. If sticky, dust lightly with flour and use the palm of your hand to spread over the surface, then turn and continue rolling. Start heating a large pot of salted water during this step.
- Form Pierogi: Using a circular cutter approximately 6.5-7 cm in diameter, cut rounds from the dough. Gather scraps and re-roll as needed. Place a filling ball in the center of each dough circle, flatten slightly, then fold over and pinch edges firmly to seal, making sure to push filling away from edges. Repeat to form pierogi, keeping them on a floured surface and covered with a kitchen cloth to prevent drying.
- Boil Pierogi: When the salted water starts boiling, carefully add 10-12 pierogi at a time, stirring gently immediately with a wooden spoon to prevent sticking. Once the water returns to a boil, reduce to a gentle simmer and cook for about 4 minutes or until they float and the dough is tender. Stir occasionally during cooking to ensure even cooking.
- Serve: Use a slotted spoon to lift pierogi from water, draining excess water. Arrange in a single layer on a greased plate, drizzle with melted butter, and serve warm. You may keep the pot covered with simmering water to boil subsequent batches quickly, topping up with water if needed.
Notes
- Polish twarog cheese can be substituted with farmer’s cheese or dry curd cottage cheese if not available.
- Potatoes should not be peeled until ready to boil to avoid discoloration; unpeeled is preferred during boiling for texture.
- Keep flour additions minimal while rolling out dough to avoid tough pierogi.
- Boiling water should be well salted to season the pierogi dough during cooking.
- Use a kitchen cloth to cover pierogi between batches to prevent drying out.
- The filling balls should be about 18 grams each for uniform size and cooking.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Polish
- Diet: Vegetarian