Periyukas Lithuanian Pirogies Food

LITHUANIAN PIEROGIES

Steps:

• 1. Mix the dough ingredients. (First 4 listed)Dough will be soft, so have extra flour for rolling out on; adding etc.
• 2. Mix your filling ingredients. (Last 3 listed) To make: Work on a large table. Using a well-floured wooden board or table top surface,( I put a vinyl cloth down) roll out 1/2 of the dough; sprinkling more flour on it as needed to be less sticky. Roll as thin as for a cut out sugar cookie. Then using a nice size glass, cut your circles;dipping your glass into the flour with each cut. When you have all your circles cut, lift away the excess dough to a pile to use later. Circles will not stick if you use enough flour.
• 3. On your table, spread some wax paper sheets out and well flour them. This is where you'll place the finished pierogies until you par-boil them. Important to flour the wax paper to prevent sticking. Now using a spatula or carefully lifting - take one circle at a time and fill w/ about 1/2-1 tsp of filling. To close your pierogie take your finger into the warm water and go around the inside of each dough circle edge. Fold over your pierogies to make a half- moon shape. Close by pinching the edges of your dough so there are no holes along its edge. (Important so the filling cannot escape) As you complete each pierogies lay it onto the waxed paper. Keep going using the dough and cutting circles and filling them until all the pierogies are complete. Should make about 30.
• 4. When finished, bring some water to boil in a large frying pan and par-boil the pierogies to "set them" for about 2 minutes. Place on a plate or more wax paper. When drained enough, you can freeze them or put them into plastic container until ready to make them for a meal. I fry butter and onions and add my pierogies to fry them on each side. If using frozen ones, I par-boil them to thaw again and then cook in my frying pan.

PERIYUKAS (LITHUANIAN "PIROGIES")

Steps:

• Make topping: Have bacon cold, possibly a few minutes in the freezer. Cut lengthwise strips in half, then cut into 1/4 inch wide pieces.
• Place bacon in cold pan, cook at medium heat, turn once.
• After turning bacon, add butter and minced onion, cook until onion is clear and at the point of turning golden. Set aside.
• Make filling: Break eggs, separate one and add yolk to the other (Reserve the separated white for sealing the dumplings).
• Stir into ricotta.
• Stir in allspice and onion. Set aside.
• Make dumplings: Cook the potatoes whole (microwave--pierced to avoid exploding--or boil or bake. Microwave is fastest) until soft. If you have a ricer, leave skins on. If not, peel them after baking or boiling and letting them cool.
• Put the reserved egg white into a small dish. Add about a tablespoon of water and stir together.
• Rice or mash the potatoes into a 1-1/2 or 2 quart mixing bowl.
• Add the salt.
• Stir in one cup of flour. Mix with a large fork. Add more flour in small amounts while stirring until the mixture forms a ball of dough. It's okay if it's still sticky, but it should be a cohesive ball.
• Spread some flour on the rolling area. Put the dough-ball on it and sprinkle more flour on the top.
• After the surface is floured, pull a fist-size piece into the center, set aside the rest. Roll the dough out thinly--1/8 inch or less.
• Cut into 4" rounds. (A size 1 Rubbermaid storage container is perfect for this.).
• To fill, place a tablespoon of the ricotta mix just off center on a dumpling. Use fingertips to wet around edges with egg white. Fold and pinch. Set them on a dry board as folded, don't overlap. Fill 4 to 6 at a time on a level cutting board. Fill all before boiling.
• Boil 4 quarts water and 1/2 tsp salt in a large pot.
• Add periyukas four to six at a time to boiling water. It works best to lower each one into the water on a large slotted spoon. When they float up, remove to a serving plate.
• Serve as they are OR brown them in a pan with butter OR brush with melted butter and put under broiler for a minute.
• Reheat the onion/bacon in a pan.
• Serve periyukas with bacon/onion mixture and sour cream in bowls for people to spoon on top.

HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT PIEROGIES / PEROGIES - OLD FASHIONED RECIPE

Steps:

• Sauerkraut Filling: Rinse the sauerkraut well in warm water, squeeze dry, and chop very fine.
• Cook the onion in the fat or shortening until tender.
• Add the sauerkraut and cream.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Cook over low heat for 15 minutes or until sauerkraut is tender and the flavors blend.
• Do not over cook.
• Chill thoroughly.
• Mix the flour with the salt in a deep bowl.
• Add the egg, oil and water to make a medium soft dough.
• Knead on a floured board until the dough is smooth.
• Caution: Too much kneading will toughen the dough.
• Divide the dough into 2 parts.
• Cover and let stand for at least 10 minutes.
• Prepare the filling.
• The filling should be thick enough to hold its shape.
• Roll the dough quite thin on a floured board.
• Cut rounds with a large biscuit cutter, or as most old-world grandmothers did, with the open end of a glass.
• Put the round in the palm of your hand.
• Place a spoonful of filling in it, fold over to form a half circle and press the edges together with the fingers.
• The edges should be free of filling.
• Be sure the edges are sealed well to prevent the filling from running out.
• Place the pierogi on a floured board or tea towel and then cover with another tea towel to prevent them from drying out.
• COOKING: Drop a few pierogies into a large quantity of rapidly boiling salted water.
• Do not attempt to cook too many at a time.
• Stir VERY gently with a wooden spoon to separate them and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Continue boiling for 3-4 minutes.
• The cooling period will depend upon the size you made it, the thickness of the dough and the filling.
• Pierogies will be ready when they are puffed.
• Remove them with a perforated spoon or skimmer to a colander and drain thoroughly.
• Place in a deep dish, sprinkle generously with melted butter to prevent them from sticking.
• Cover and keep them hot until all are cooked.
• Serve in a large dish without piling or crowding them.
• Top with melted butter- chopped crisp bacon and/or chopped onions lightly browned in butter.
• REHEATING: One of the great things about pierogies, is that they can be made in large quantities, refrigerated, frozen and reheated without lost of quality.
• Many prefer reheated pierogies as compared to freshly boiled ones.
• To re-heat, you can 1) pan fry pierogies in butter or bacon fat until they are light in color or 2) heat the pierogies in the top of a double boiler or in the oven until they are hot and plump or 3) deep fry them.