How do you make perogies from scratch?

Question

I usually just buy the frozen ones but I tried making them once...I forget how but my daughter, being so kind told me it was a good first attempt.

Answer 1

I learned how to make perogies when I was very young, from my Slovak grandmother. She never measured, and so, neither do I. The dough is a simple dumpling dough though, made with flour, salt, eggs, and either water or milk. I use water. My guess is that you would use 1 egg to every 1 cup of water and every 3 cups of flour. I beat the eggs slightly and add the water, then the salt (according to your diet) and then work the flour in. You'll have to use your hands towards the end, and it is messy. The dough should be smooth and near dry, but feel soft and cool. The more you work with the dough, the tougher it gets. So, be gentle. Roll it on a floured surface, and use a nice size glass to make your circles. Put a scoop of your filling in the center , fold it in half, and pinch away.. Make sure they are well sealed, because they will open up while boiling them if you don't. It is very time consuming. I peel potatoes, boil them, and mash them. As you are mashing them, add chedder cheese until you like the taste. Adding the cheese while the potatoes are hot will melt the cheese as you go. I usually make a ton when I do make them, because it is a big project. To freeze them you have to make sure they are well floured and laid flat with wax paper in between the layers because they do stick together. I use a cookie sheet. To cook them, boil water (water must be boiling) and put them in. Usually when they begin to float, they are done. About 7 or 10 minutes.

Answer 2

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter
2/3 cup water

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 (7.6 ounce) package instant mashed potato flakes

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DIRECTIONS:
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and salt. Cut in the butter using a fork until pieces are very small. Stir in the water and mix until well blended. If the dough is too sticky, stir in a little more flour until you can knead it on a floured surface. Knead the dough for 2 to 3 minutes. Cover, and let rest for 10 or 15 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into circles using a cookie cutter or large glass. Set aside while you prepare the filling.
To make the filling, prepare the mashed potato flakes according to package directions. Set aside. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions; cook and stir until soft and transparent. Remove from the heat, and mix in the mashed potatoes.
Place one tablespoon of the pierogi filling onto each circle of dough. Fold circles over and pinch the edges to seal tightly so that no filling will escape while they boil. They can be frozen at this time if you like.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Carefully drop several perogies into the water. They are done when they float to the top. Continue the process with remaining perogies. You can also fry the perogies in some butter with onion before serving if you like.

Answer 3

Homemade Potato and Cheese Pierogies / Old Fashioned Perogies Recipe

Potato and Cheese Filling
1 tablespoon grated onions
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups cold mashed potatoes
1 cup cottage cheese (or more)
salt and pepper

Perogie
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 teaspoons oil
3/4 cup warm water

Potato and Cheese Filling: Cook the onion in butter until tender.
Combine it with potatoes and cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Vary the proportions and ingredients in this recipe to suit your taste. 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 perogies, is that they can be made in large quantities, refrigerated, frozen and reheated without loss of quality. Many prefer reheated perogies 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.

Answer 4

Czech Perogies

In a large mixing bowl:

1 cup of mashed potatoes
3 cups of flour
pinch of salt

In a measuring cup:
2 eggs beaten
2 tablespoons of oil
Beat and then add milk to equal one cup total

Mix the egg, milk and oil mixture into the potatoe and flour mixture

mix and knead until the dough is smooth, shiny and elasticy
( the potatoe in the dough gives a nice flavour )

Roll the dough out very thin and cut circles with a glass or cookie cutter.

Fillings:
#1/ mashed potatoes ,shredded cheddar ,cream cheese salt and pepper
( proportions of ingredients depends on your taste...just sample as you add ingredients )

#2/ grate raw carrots and fry in butter
add very finely grated poppy seeds to the carrot mixture
sweeten with brown sugar to taste

Put about a heaping teaspoon of mixture in centre of dough circle, fold over making sure not to get filling on edges of dough and press edges of the dough with a fork. A bit a water applied to the edge of the dough before crimping with assure a tight seal.

Freeze by spreading out on cookie sheets

To Prepare:

Place perogies in boiling water just until they float to the top ( about 3-4 minutes). Then transfer to a large frying pan in which you have fried up onions and chopped bacon. Fry until golden brown. Serve with sour cream.

You can also deep fry them and serve with sour cream and fried bacon and onions.

Fruit Perogies:

Dough:

1/2 cup flour
1 cup boiling water
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 - 1 1/2 cup of flour

Fillings:
Fresh fruit in season- plums, cherries, blueberries,apples ( may be shredded or cut in small wedges)
sugar

put 1/2 cup flour into medium size bowl. Add boiling water and mix well. Add egg and salt. Mix in 1 cup of flour, working in the last 1/2 cup of flour gradually. Knead. You should have a moderately soft dough. Roll out 1/4 inch thick and cut into 3 or 4 inch circles. Place 1 teaspoon of fruit and 1 teaspoon of sugar on circle being careful not to get sugar on the edge of the circles, as this prevents the dough sticking together. Fold over the circles and crimp with a floured fork. Freeze separately on cookie sheets.

To prepare:

Drop into boiling water and cook about 10 minutes. Stir carefully a couple of times being careful not to puncture them. Remove with a slotted spoon and serve hot with cereal cream and sugar.

Note: It's best to make at least a double batch as they are time consuming but well worth the effort. Also if the perogies break open while cooking, you may have cooked them too long.

Hope you enjoy the recipes.

Answer 5

Beef-Stuffed Pirozhki Recipe

In a large bowl, combine and let stand until the yeast is dissolved:
1 envelope (2-1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1/4 cup lukewarm water
Add:
1 cup milk, at room temperature
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, softened
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
Mix well, then make a soft dough by adding:
4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in volume, about 1-1/2 hours. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling.

Heat in a large skillet over medium heat:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Add and cook, stirring, until golden, about 7 minutes:
2 large onions, finely chopped
Add and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 5 minutes:
1 pound lean ground beef
Remove from the heat and stir in:
2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
2 tablespoons sour cream
2 tablespoons beef stock
2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons salt
Ground black pepper to taste

Lightly oil 2 baking sheets. Punch down the dough and divide into 48 balls. Roll each ball out on a floured surface to a 3-1/2-inch round. Place a heaping tablespoon of the filling in the center of each circle. Moisten one side of the round, fold it in half, and pinch together. Gently shape each pie into an oval. Place the pies on the baking sheets, cover, and let rise until puffy, 30 to 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
Lightly beat:
1 large egg
Brush the tops of the dumplings with the egg wash. Bake until golden, about 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature

Chicken-Stuffed Pirozhki

For the dough:

225 g/8 oz/2 cups strong white flour [bread flour]
2.5 ml//2 tsp salt
2.5 ml/1/2 tsp caster sugar
5 ml/1 tsp easy-blend dried yeast [active dry yeast]
25 g/l oz/2 tbsp butter, softened
1 egg, beaten, plus a little extra
90 ml/6 tbsp warm milk

For the filling:

1 small onion, finely chopped
175 g/6 oz minced chicken
15 ml/1 tbsp sunflower oil
75 ml/5 tbsp chicken stock
30 ml/2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
pinch of grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

Sift the flour, salt and sugar into a large bowl. Stir in the dried yeast, then make a well in the centre.

Add the butter, egg and milk and mix to a soft dough. Turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead for 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.

Put the dough in a clean bowl, cover with clear film and leave in a warm place to rise for 1 hour, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Meanwhile, fry the onion and chicken in the oil for 10 minutes Add the stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the parsley, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Leave to cool.

Preheat the oven to 220°C/425°F,/Gas 7. Knead the dough, then roll out until 3mm/1/8-in thick. Stamp out rounds with a 7.5cm/3-in cutter.

Brush the edges with beaten egg. Put a little filling in the middle, then press the edges together. Leave to rise on oiled baking sheets, covered with oiled clear film, for 15 minutes. Brush with a little more egg. Bake for 5 minutes, then for 10 minutes at 190°C/375°F/ Gas 5, until well risen.

Answer 6

My grandmother said just get some flour and water.......but the best way is to go on the website..........food.com..................they have everything on there!