Potato Cheese Pierogi
by
Luclare Cuisine
The Sports World has a number of interesting rituals and customs. There is the champagne shower in baseball upon a World Series win, Gatorade dousing after football games, cutting down the nets at the college basketball games and the tradition of the winner drinking milk after the Indy 500.
There are also a few sporting practices on the quirkier side of things. One of the more unusual traditions occurs regularly at the Pittburgh Pirates baseball games where a group of people dressed in Pierogi costumes race around the outfield between the 5th and 6th inning. Now this recurring event raises some seemingly obvious questions like, why would one conceive of such a competition in the first place? And, where would a prospective outfield sprinter actually get a Pierogi costume when he or she needs one?
Now I sincerely mean no disrespect to the good people of Pittsburgh (and the fact that I’m a Philadelphia Phillies fan has absolutely nothing to do with it) but how is it that large groups of people find pleasure in cheering enthusiastically for a squad of Eastern European Dumplings racing around a baseball stadium? In all honesty, I have never thought of pierogi as being especially athletic. In fact, quite the contrary, and perhaps therein lies the appeal of this particular contest. Could it be that those of us who have an affinity for somewhat hardier cuisine find some comfort in knowing our culinary compatriots are still capable of sliding into Home Plate? Well sometimes I find myself thinking too deeply about matters better left to first impressions. If you think you’d enjoy seeing a few pierogi sliding across your home plate then, by all means read on.
So let’s get on with the cooking…
2 cups (304 g) all-purpose flour plus more for kneading and rolling
3/4 cups water, room temperature
1 large egg, optional, if you are adding the egg, use 2/3 cup of water
Fillings:
12 oz (342 g) unsalted farmer cheese and/or cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
You'll need a food processor equipped with a metal blade, either a rolling pin or pasta machine or a KitchenAid pasta attachment and large pot filled with salted water for boiling, strainer.
Boil potatoes in a salted water, finely mash them, cool them. Combine the cooled potatoes and cheese, mix, salt and pepper to taste, mix well. The mixture should be smooth. The filling could be done a day ahead.
Step 2
Place the flour in the food processor, secure the lid, turn on the processor, if using an egg, add egg, than slowly dribble in the water until the dough forms a ball.
Note: We do not add an egg although many recipes call for an egg. Whether you add an egg or not it does not make a difference in the consistency. Just to let you know this is my (Luci's) mother's recipe and she did not add an egg.
Place the dough on well floured surface, sprinkle the dough with flour, wrap the dough in plastic wrap, let it rest for 30 minutes at which time the dough should feel soft to touch.
Step 3
The next step is to roll out the dough. On a well floured surface, unwrap the dough, cut into two pieces, wrap one half in the plastic wrap to keep it from drying. Lightly dust the other half of the dough with flour, place the rolling pin in the middle and roll it toward the outside edge, repeat in all directions until desired thickness about 1/8 in to 1/16 in.
If using a Kitchen Aid pasta attachment divide the dough into six parts. Set the attachment to the thickest setting and process each piece.
Next set the attachment to the middle setting (#4) and process the pieces again.
Step 4
Using a brush dipped in water (room temperature) lightly dab the outside of the circle, this will help seal the pierogi.
Fold the dough over the filling to make half circle, seal the dough, crimp the edges with your fingers or press the edges with a fork making sure not to pierce the dough.
or press the edges with a fork making sure not to pierce the dough.
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, place pierogi in the pot, once they float to the surface of the water, boil for a couple of minutes, remove from the water with a slotted spoon and set aside on a large buttered dish or parchment paper. The number of pierogi being boiled will depend on the size of your pot, you don't want to crowd them. Boiling pierogi is similar to boiling raviolis
To serve them, in a large frying pan over medium heat melt either oil and/or butter and lightly brown the cooked pierogi on both sides working in batches. Place as many that will fit in the pan without crowding.
Also, for added flavor you can fry onions, sliced or chopped, with the pierogi or you can experiment with different seasoning.
For a video of pierogi go to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_fQIKWcf7w
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmIgEC-rkhE
Smacznego! Enjoy!
Luclare Cuisine
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