Culinary Arts Institute: Polish Cookbook

Pierogi is made with a simple noodle dough. It can be compared to ravioli, won ton, and kreplach, yet pierogi is different from these filled noodles.

Roll out dough on a floured surface to 1/8″ ti 1/4″ thickness. Cut out circles of dough, about 4 inches in diameter, from the dough. Place a rounded tablespoon of filling to one side of each circle, then fold the dough over to make a half moon. Carefully seal edges by pinching together or crimpling with the tines of a fork. Filling varies from mashed potatoes to fruit, meat and sauerkraut are popular and cheese fillings may be sweet or savory.

Typical Polish pierogi are cooked in boiling salted water. Use at least 2 quarts of water and 1 tsp salt in a kettle. Add only enough pierogi to the boiling water to make one layer. Crowding makes pierogi stick together and become misshapen or lumpy. Count cooking time after the water returns to boiling. About 4 to 6 minutes in boiling water lightens pierogi and makes them float. Then the pierogi are done.

Remove cooked pierogi with a perforated spoon. Serve plain or drizzle with melted butter. To serve Polish style, sprinkle pierogi with butter bread crumbs.

Yeast pierogi is made with a rich yeast dough. The shape is somewhat like Parker House rolls, but with a meat or cheese or sauerkraut filling.

Roll out the raised dough to 3/8 inch thickness on floured surface. Cut out 3 inch circles. Place a rounded tablespoon of filling to one side of each circle. Fold other side of dough over filling. Pinch edges to seal. Place about 1 1/2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees about 20 to 35 minutes.

Yeast pierogi are served as appetizers at parties or soup accompaniments for Polish family meals.

Polish Cooking, New Updated Edition

For most pierogies, make the dough after the savory filling has been prepared. However, when using a fruit filling, prepare dough first. That way the juice won’t be drawn out of the fruit prematurely while waiting for the dough to be completed. When boiling fruit pierogies, simmer them in water for an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

All pierogies can be frozen for future use. You can dust unboiled pierogies with flour and freeze them in airtight containers. Or place unboiled pierogies on baking sheets and freeze them for 20 to 30 minutes. Then store them in plastic bags or other containers in a freezer. If you want to save time later, another alternative is to boil and drain pierogies, let them cool, and then freeze.

Most savory pierogies, especially pork, mushroom, and cabbage, will benefit when sauteed with thinly sliced onions in butter.

When serving, brush fruit pierogies with melted butter or softened cream cheese.

Polish Cooking, New Updated Edition

Of all Polish foods, none are more versatile than pierogies. From Polish, “pierogi” translates to “small pies” in English. But in any language, pierogies are a culinary delight, to be served as a main or side dish, snack, or even as a dessert.

Pierogies have always been popular in Poland because they can be made with a seemingly endless variety of fillings, depending on what is available at the moment. With food supplies what they were in Poland, this came in handy to the village housewives who years ago had to use all their resources to make the best of a poor situation.

If you’ve had pierogies before, you know how delicious they are. If you have yet to savor a pork, cheese, or cabbage pierogi, you’re in for a tasty surprise.

Contrary to popular belief, good pierogies are not difficult to make. Simple ingredients make up the dough, and the fillings are easily prepared.