Pierogi Z Kapusta Sauerkraut Dumplings Food

PIEROGI

Steps:

• Make a well from the flour. Add eggs and about 1/2 cup of water. The amount of water will vary according to the weather. You want to make a stiff dough. Divide it into 3 equal portions and knead until silky smooth.
• Fillings: We usually make cheese and kapusta (sauerkraut), but you can use meat, potatoes, or even fruit.
• Saute onion in butter until just soft. Add kapusta and brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Allow time for the filling to cool before assembling pierogi, otherwise they will fall apart when cooked. If making more than one filling, this one can cool while you prepare the others.
• Mix well.
• To assemble and cook pierogi: Roll out a portion (or half portion, if space is limited) of the dough on a floured surface as thinly as possible -- somewhere between a wonton and a thin pizza. Put about a tablespoon of filling on the dough and use a large plastic cup (a big gulp-type cup works really well) to cut a circle around the filling. Dampen half of the circumference of the circle with a bit of water on your finger and fold into a dumpling. Boil the dumplings a dozen at a time in a big pot of salted water until they float -- no more than 3 minutes. At this point you can freeze them in bags for later use. To prepare for serving, brown the pierogi in a skillet using a bit of butter. If you want to be really traditional you can use bacon grease. Alternately, you can bake them in a casserole, spraying both the casserole and the pierogi with a butter flavored spray, and putting a few pats of butter on top of the dumplings.

PIEROGI (POLISH DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• To prepare the sauerkraut filling, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the drained sauerkraut and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then remove to a plate to cool.
• For the mashed potato filling, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onion, and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir into the mashed potatoes, and season with salt and white pepper.
• To make the dough, beat together the eggs and sour cream until smooth. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder; stir into the sour cream mixture until dough comes together. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until firm and smooth. Divide the dough in half, then roll out one half to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch rounds using a biscuit cutter.
• Place a small spoonful of the mashed potato filling into the center of each round. Moisten the edges with water, fold over, and press together with a fork to seal. Repeat procedure with the remaining dough and the sauerkraut filling.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add perogies and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until pierogi float to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon.

PIEROGI Z KAPUSTY (PIEROGI W/ SAUERKRAUT & MUSHROOM FILLING)

Steps:

• Saute the sauerkraut in 1/3 of the butter.
• Fry the onion in 1/6 of the butter; fry the mushrooms in the remaining butter.
• Combine these ingredients, season with pepper, and refrigerate until ready to assemble pierogi.
• Combine the ingredients listed under dough and knead until well blended (dough should be somewhat dry and about the consistency of play-doh, you can knead in more flour if needed).
• Twist off workable portions of dough and roll out very thin on a floured surface.
• Using a glass with a thin lip and a diameter of about 3-1/2 inches, dip lip of glass in flour and cut circles out of the dough.
• Place about 2 teaspoons filling in the center of each dough circle.
• Moisten outer edges with water and fold dough over to close.
• Seal edges by pressing gently with the back of a fork or pinching together with your fingers.
• Bring water to a boil.
• Cook 12 pierogi at a time, reducing heat to a gentle boil.
• Boil, stirring occasionally to keep from sticking to the bottom, until pierogi float to the surface (about 5 minutes).
• Rinse in cold water, then drizzle melted butter or vegetable oil over dough to keep from sticking.
• Repeat with remaining pierogi.
• At this point you can serve them warm, freeze them for later use, deep fry them until golden brown or pan fry them in butter with onions over medium heat, lightly browning both sides before serving.