Never Gets Hard Pierogies Dough Food

TRADITIONAL UKRAINIAN PEROGIES

Steps:

• Peel potatoes and cut into quarters. Cook in boiling water until soft enough to mash.
• Drain well, reserving 2 cups of potato water for dough.
• Return potatoes to the pot and add grated cheese and sautéed onion. Mash until smooth. Let filling cool while making the dough.
• In a large bowl, sift flour and combine with salt.
• Mix together water, oil and egg, and pour half of mixture into flour. Mix and slowly add the remaining liquid. Knead by hand until flour and liquid are well combined, into an elastic ball. You may need to add a small amount of either flour or water, depending on the consistency of the dough.
• When well blended and smooth, wrap in plastic wrap or a clean plastic bag and let dough rest for at least 30 minutes.
• Cut dough in half or in thirds, keeping unused dough well wrapped in plastic until needed. Flour the table or counter lightly and roll dough to about 1/8 inch thickness (thin is best, but not too thin, as you don't want the dough to break as you fill your perogy).
• Cut the dough in rounds using a biscuit cutter or a small drinking glass (upside down).
• Scoop about 1 Tbsp of potato filling for each perogy and roll into a ball in the palms of your hands.
• Fill each round of dough with a ball of potato filling and seal the edges of the dough together with your fingers. Make sure when pinching the edges to ensure there are no gaps or that the 2 sides of the dough do not pull away from each other. Wet you fingers just a little if needed to help dough stick together.
• Freeze on a baking tray and then transfer to a freezer bag if making in advance.
• To cook, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook in small batches (10-15 perogies at a time), stirring gently to prevent dumplings from sticking together. Perogies are finished cooking when they float to the top.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove them from water and drain before transferring to a serving bowl. Toss with butter and serve hot with sour cream. Add fried onions and.or bacon bits to take your perogies to the next level!

NEVER-GETS-HARD PIEROGIES DOUGH

Steps:

• Beat eggs.
• Add oil.
• Add rest of ingredients to make a soft dough.
• Let stand 1/2 hour in a covered bowl.
• Use the filling of your choice.

PIEROGIES DOUGH

Steps:

• Cut margarine into the flour, then add the eggs, sour cream and water.
• Mix until the dough leaves the sides of the bowl.
• Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Roll out thin on floured surface.
• Use a fairly large round cookie cutter to cut the shapes.
• Fill with your favourite filling.
• One of mine is garlic cheese potatoes.

PIEROGI DOUGH

Steps:

• In a large bowl mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Make a well in the center.
• In a separate bowl mix together the vegetable oil, warm water, and beaten egg. Pour into the well of the dry ingredients. Knead dough for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Cover dough and let rest for 2 hours. Roll out and fill as desired.

UNCLE BILL'S PEROGIE DOUGH

Steps:

• In a large size mixing bowl, mix together eggs, milk, whipping cream, sour cream and salt and whisk until well blended.
• Add baking powder and blend until incorporated.
• Add flour one cup at a time and whisk well the first two cups.
• Add the third cup and now mix using a large plastic spoon or a wooden spoon.
• Add the fourth cup and continue mixing with a spoon.
• At this point, you may not be able to pick up all the flour, so roll out the contents onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and shiny.
• If the dough is still sticky add a bit more flour and continue to knead until it is not sticky and does not stick to your hands.
• Break dough off into chunks and roll between your hands to the size of a golf ball.
• On a lightly floured surface, firstly flatten the dough ball with the palm of your hand to about 1/2-inch thickness, then coat each side very lightly with some flour.
• Using a heavy rolling pin, (I prefer a marble rolling pin), start to roll out the dough.
• As you are rolling, the dough should stick to the rolling pin.
• When this happens and the dough is almost all the way around the rolling pin, peel the dough off as it should come off very easy.
• Place the dough back on the rolling surface with the side that was against the rolling pin should now be on the rolling surface.
• Very lightly, dust the top surface ONLY with a bit of flour.
• Start rolling again, roll back and forth, then side to side to try and keep the dough round.
• The dough should now be sticking to the rolling surface and not onto the rolling pin.
• You will note that the dough does not "snap" back to a smaller round.
• Should this happen, just re-roll again.
• When finished rolling, the dough should be about 1/16-inch in thickness.
• Open the Mini Form (photo above) and rub the surface with some flour, this will prevent the dough from sticking to the Mini Form.
• Place the rolled dough over the Mini Form and make sure that the dough is well over the edges of the Mini Form.
• Place about 1 heaping tablespoon of your choice of filling in the center of the dough.
• Pick the Mini Form up and close it slightly.
• If necessary, push the filling down just a bit.
• Now fold the Mini Form completely shut and press tightly.
• Hold the Mini Form closed and remove excess dough with your thumb or finger. This helps seal the edges of the dough.
• Use the excess dough to form more dough balls.
• Open the Mini Form and the perogi should drop out easily.
• Set perogi aside until you prepare more.
• Continue to make perogies with the remaining dough.
• You can use whatever size of Mini Form that you desire, the 3 1/4" or 4". Five and 6" Mini Forms are also available.
• COOKING INSTRUCTIONS.
• In a large cooking pot or pasta pot, fill 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil.
• Add 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or a good vegetable oil.
• Gently add about 8 to 10 perogies to the pot, stir gently with a slotted spoon and bring back to boil.
• Cook, uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes or until perogies float to the surface.
• Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl.
• The perogies may be eaten immediately with some butter or margarine, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chopped green onions or chives.
• The amount of perogies may vary depending on the size of Mini Form you are using.
• If desired, preheat a frying pan to medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil.
• Add some finely chopped onions to the frying pan and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Now add the perogies, cover and lightly fry until they are lightly browned on both sides, turning once.
• Serve immediately with more butter if desired, a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onions or chives and even some cooked chopped bacon bits.
• These perogies freeze well.
• After the perogies are boiled, place them on a cookie sheet (absorb any water with paper towels).
• Place sheet in freezer for at least 2 hours until perogies are frozen.
• Place them into freezer bags or vacuum seal bags in whatever quantities are best for you and return the sealed units back to the freezer.
• The perogies will last from 6 months to 1 year when frozen.

PIEROGI DOUGH

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients together, either in a food processor or by hand.
• Form into a ball; cover and let rest approximately 30 minutes.
• Roll dough out onto a board or counter until about 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut circles with large cookie cutter or drinking glass.
• Choose filling (see options below) and place approximately 1 tablespoon of filling onto each circle of dough.
• Fold dough over filling and crimp with fork, moistening with water if necessary.
• (Option 2: before cutting dough, place filling approximately 3 inches apart on half the sheet of dough, then fold over the other half and cut around mounds.).
• To cook finished pierogies, boil at a low boil (do not over-crowd pierogies in the pot). When the pierogies float to the top, boil for another 5 minutes or so. Remove with slotted spoon and place on cookie sheets to cool. They can then be frozen (or served) and when reheated, can be deep fried, pan-cooked in butter, microwaved (not as tasty) or re-boiled (more bland). Suggested to freeze 1 dozen per bag.
• Filling Variations:.
• Potato and cheese pierogies: 5 lbs of potatoes, boiled until tender and mashed (no milk, just potatoes), mixed with 1 1/2 pounds of your favorite cheese (cheddar is good). Best reheated with pan-cooked method (with butter).Serve with fried onions and butter after cooked.
• Mexican pierogies: (I made these up).
• 1 1/2 lb taco meat (made your favorite way) mixed with 1/2 lb mexican cheese. Deep fry reheat method (or pan fry). Serve cooked pierogies topped with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onions, jalepenos, sour cream and salsa. Awesome!
• Cheesteak pierogies: (I made these up too).
• 1 large box of your favorite brand of chip steak cooked with 1/2 lb of swiss (or your favorite) cheese. Deep fry or pan fry reheat method. Top cooked pierogies with your favorite tomato or pasta sauce and onions.

PIEROGI AND VARENIKI DOUGH

Steps:

• Stir together flours in a bowl. Make a well in flour and add eggs, salt, and water, then stir together with a fork without touching flour. Continue stirring, gradually incorporating flour into well until a soft dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured work surface and knead, adding only as much additional flour as needed to keep dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. (Dough will be soft.) Cover with plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature at least 30 minutes.

PIEROGIES

Steps:

• Make dough:
• Put flour in a large shallow bowl and make a well in center. Add water, egg, oil, and salt to well and carefully beat together with a fork without incorporating flour. Continue stirring with a wooden spoon, gradually incorporating flour, until a soft dough forms. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting with flour as needed to keep dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes (dough will be very soft). Invert a bowl over dough and let stand at room temperature 1 hour.
• Make filling while dough stands:
• Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch pieces. Cook potatoes in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain potatoes, then transfer to a bowl along with cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and mash with a potato masher or a handheld electric mixer at low speed until smooth.
• When mashed potatoes are cool enough to handle, spoon out a rounded teaspoon and lightly roll into a ball between palms of your hands. Transfer ball to a plate and keep covered with plastic wrap while making 47 more balls in same manner (there will be a little filling left over).
• Make onion topping:
• Cook onion in butter in a 4- to 5-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally (stir more frequently toward end of cooking), until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper.
• Form and cook pierogies:
• Halve dough and roll out 1 half (keep remaining half under inverted bowl) on lightly floured surface (do not overflour surface or dough will slide instead of stretching) with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 15-inch round (1/8 inch thick), then cut out 24 rounds with lightly floured cutter. Holding 1 round in palm of your hand, put 1 potato ball in center of round and close your hand to fold round in half, enclosing filling. Pinch edges together to seal completely. (If edges don't adhere, brush them lightly with water, then seal; do not leave any gaps or pierogi may open during cooking.) Transfer pierogi to a lightly floured kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and cover with another towel. Form more pierogies in same manner.
• Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of salted water to a boil. Add half of pierogies, stirring once or twice to keep them from sticking together, and cook 5 minutes from time pierogies float to surface. Transfer as cooked with a slotted spoon to onion topping and toss gently to coat. Cook remaining pierogies in same manner, transferring to onions. Reheat pierogies in onion topping over low heat, gently tossing to coat.

BASIC RECIPE FOR PHYLLO DOUGH

Steps:

• Sift the flour with the salt.
• Make a well in the middle of the flour.
• In the well put the water and the olive oil.
• Work the dough until it hangs well together.
• Dust flour on a table or board.
• Knead the dough for about 5-7 minutes.
• The dough should be smooth and not stick to the board.
• Roll the dough out to a big rectangle.
• Lay a damp towel over it and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
• Flour your hands and work the dough from the middle outwards until you have the dough stretched to about 3 ft by 3 ft (1meter x 1meter)If work table is not big enough to roll out a 3 ft. by 3 ft. dough, divide the dough into 9 (divide into 3, then divide each third into 3 more) and roll out each portion into 1 ft. by 1 ft. sheet. Cut the dough with a sharp knife or pizza cutter to the desired sheet size.
• Continue with the recipe that requires the phyllo dough.