Fried Pierogi
Makes about 3 dozen.
By Dennis Viau; from research on the Internet.
I grew up with pierogi. My mother purchased them frozen and fried them in butter. I’ve never seen them in the store here; so I came up with a recipe to make them myself. I think these are better. The name, by the way, is spelled different ways. My research says pierogi is Polish and piroshki is Russian. Pirogi, yet another spelling, are supposedly larger.
Ingredients:
For the Pasta Shell:
1¼ cup (5¾ to 6 ounce/163-170g) all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
¼ teaspoon salt
Optional: 1 tablespoon olive oil
For the Filling:
1 potato, 12-16 ounces (340-455g)
2 ounces (57g) Gruyere cheese; grated (or Swiss cheese)
½ teaspoon salt
½ small onion; finely chopped (½ cup/4 ounces/113g)
Pepper to taste
Butter or oil for frying
Optional: 1 additional onion, chopped and caramelized, for garnish when serving
Optional: 2 ounces (57g) prosciutto; diced (although not traditional, it adds more flavor)
Directions:
Combine the pasta ingredients and knead until smooth. Wrap in plastic and set aside.
Cut the potato into 1-inch (2.5cm) pieces and cook in boiling salted water until tender. Drain and mash.
Chop the onion and sauté in butter or oil over medium-low heat until golden, about 10 minutes. Combine all the filling ingredients in a food processor.
Working with a third of the pasta dough at a time, feed the dough through a pasta machine or roll with a rolling pin until thin. Cut into circles about 3 inches (8cm) in diameter using a round cutter.
Put small amounts of filling, about 1 teaspoon, in the center of each pasta circle. Moisten the edges with water, fold, and seal tightly, removing as much air as possible.
Cook pierogi in boiling water 2 minutes. Transfer to a skillet and fry in butter until lightly browned. Serve hot.
Optional: Additional onion can be sautéed until caramelized and used for garnish when serving the pierogi.
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