Hello from Marta!
Pierogi, also known as Polish dumplings, are one of the most popular foods in my part of the world! Each one is a little hand-made parcel of deliciousness which is both heart-warming to eat and relaxing to make. My mother was a cook and, like in many Polish families, we would often all get together to make our meals, dividing up the process of making the filling, then the dough, then finally putting them together and cooking them. Whilst all of this took a bit of time, it was a chance, and still is, to sit together at home around a table and enjoy each others' company. Naturally, although it takes a bit of time to prepare, everything, once cooked, is eaten in a flash! I really look forward to teaching you the skill and pleasure of making pierogi at home. Once you've tasted how delicious they are, you'll understand why they are eaten so quickly!
I host this cooking class from my home in Krakow. I look forward to having you as a guest in my kitchen. Whilst we will be concentrating on making great pierogi, we will also have a chance to talk about anything else as well. I will be happy to share with you a bit more in general about life and culture in Poland, and look forward to learning from you too.
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Marta's Pierogi Recipe
Ingredients
2 (cooked and peeled) potatoes
1 small spoon of salt
40 grams unsalted butter or olive oil
2 white onions (finely chopped)
250 grams cottage cheese (also known as farmer’s cheese)
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups (about 500 grams) all-purpose flour; more as needed
1 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 cup hot water (250ml)
melted salted butter with sage (or bacon)
caramelised onions
Process
We start by making the filling: peel your potatoes and cut them in half before boiling them.
Pour the boiled water out from your pot and then put the potatoes back in. Dry them out over medium heat, stirring and mashing until they look floury and leave a light film on the bottom of the pan (should take about 3 minutes). Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Let it cool down. Note: Don’t try to do this in a blender or it will become like glue.
Add in farmers cheese, salt and pepper to the potato mixture.
Heat the butter in a 12-inch frying pan over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until deep golden-brown and soft, 15 to 20 minutes. Mix half of the onions into the potato mixture and reserve half of the onion for later, to be served on top of the finished pierogi.
Now let’s make the dough. Pour flour into a large bowl. Add the butter and, using your fingers, work it into the flour until the mixture has the texture of coarse meal.
Add 1 3/4 cups of the hot water and stir with your fingers until the mixture begins to come together. If the mixture is dry, you can add up to 1/4 cup more hot water, 1 tbsp at a time, until it forms a shaggy yet cohesive mass.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface and gently knead it just until soft and elastic; let it rest for half an hour (covered by cotton kitchen cloth) then roll out to create a thin sheet of pastry (about 2 - 3 mm).
Cut out circles of dough using a cookie cutter or the rim of a medium sized glass cup.
Now we need to add the filling to our dumpling pastry. Working with 1 dough circle at a time, brush off any excess flour and hold the circle in your palm. Spoon a scant 1 Tbsp of the filling into the centre of the circle and fold it in half.
Using your fingers, tightly pinch the edges together to seal and create a 1/2-inch border. Arrange the filled pierogi on a lightly floured surface or large rimmed baking sheet and dust very lightly with flour; loosely cover with plastic wrap or a clean dish towel. Repeat with the remaining dough.
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and gently drop your pierogi in one by one. Create a whirlpool (or a vortex) by stirring the water quickly to prevent them from sticking to the bottom.Cook for a few minutes until dough is soft. Serve with melted sage butter and caramelised onions.
