Another food that is typically found in Western Pennsylvania is Pieroghi. I don’t think we ever made homemade Pieroghi when I was growing up. However, living in a neighborhood that was home to many first generation European immigrants, I enjoyed many delicious varieties of homemade Pieroghi. Our delightful Polish neighbors would often share a dozen (or two) of fresh pieroghi. We would boil them and then toss them into a skillet with butter and onions. They were delicious! Throughout the years, I came across a great recipe for pieroghi dough and several delicious fillings. They are just as wonderful as I remember them to be!
Enjoy!
Pieroghi / Pierogie
4 cups flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling dough
1 teaspoon salt
2 large egg
1 cup sour cream (plus extra for serving)
½ cup unsalted butter, softened and cut into small pieces
1 stick of unsalted butter, divided
1 large onion, coarsely chopped, for sautéing
filling of your choice (see below)
Pieroghi Dough
(makes approximately 2 dozen pieroghi)
Mix together the flour and salt.
Beat the egg and add it to the flour mixture.
Add the sour cream and the softened butter pieces and knead until the dough loses most of its stickiness (about 5-7 minutes).
Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or overnight.
Roll the chilled pieroghi dough on a floured board or countertop to about 1/8″ thickness.
Cut 2-3” circles of dough with a cookie cutter or drinking glass.
Place a small ball of filling (about a tablespoon) on each dough round and fold the dough over, forming a semi-circle.
Press the edges together with the tines of a fork.
To Cook:
Boil the pieroghi , a few at a time, in a large pot of water.
They are done when they float to the top (about 8-10 minutes). Drain them well and let dry.
Sauté chopped onion in ½ stick of butter in a large pan over medium-high heat.
When onions begin to caramelize, add the drained pieroghi and the remaining ½ stick of butter. Continue cooking, turning after a few minutes to make sure that both sides of the pieroghi brown.
The pieroghi are ready to serve when they are golden brown.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream, if desired.
Pieroghi Fillings
Potato, Cheese & Onion Filling
10 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 ½ tsp salt
5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ – ½ cups fresh chives, snipped
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Add the potatoes to a large pot of well-salted, cold water and bring to a boil.
Let potatoes boil for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes easily break apart when pierced with a fork. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
Add the butter and salt and mash with a potato masher until few, if any, solid lumps remain.
Refrigerate potato mixture until cool.
When cooled, add the chives and cheese and stir until evenly distributed.
Return to the refrigerator, covered, until ready to fill pieroghi.
Potato and Sauerkraut Filling
6 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, minced
1 pound can sauerkraut, rinsed lightly and drained
1 stick unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Add the potatoes to a large pot of well-salted, cold water and bring to a boil.
Let potatoes boil for 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes easily break apart when pierced with a fork.
While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a large skillet and add the onion.
Sauté until the onion is a deep brown color but be careful that it doesn’t burn.
Rinse and squeeze the sauerkraut, removing as much liquid as possible.
When the potatoes are tender, drain them well and mash until they are consistent in texture but not lumpy.
Add the onion and butter mixture, the sauerkraut, and salt and pepper to taste.
Refrigerate, covered, until ready to fill pieroghi.
Sauerkraut and Mushroom Filling
2 large cans sauerkraut, rinsed and drained very well
1 large onion, minced
½ pound fresh mushrooms, washed, drained, and sliced thin
1 stick unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the minced onion.
Sauté the onion until transparent.
Add the sliced mushrooms and sauté on medium to medium-high heat.
Brown the onion and mushrooms and reduce the liquid.
After browning, add the sauerkraut and mix well.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cook an additional 10 minutes or until flavors blend.
Refrigerate, covered, until ready to fill pieroghi.
Prune Filling
2 cups dried, pitted prunes
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Using a medium-sized saucepan, cover the prunes with water and bring to boiling.
As soon as the water starts to boil, cover the saucepan and remove from heat.
Let stand 20 minutes.
Drain the prunes and then add lemon juice and sugar.
Return to heat and cook, stirring frequently, until almost all of the liquid is gone.
Refrigerate, covered, until ready to fill pieroghi.
Aunt Marie's Retro Magic Kitchen ... 