Recipe:
Julia Pushkar's Pierogi Dough
Ingredients
3 Eggs
3/4 Cup Water
3 Cups Flour (Plus Extra Needed for dough and work surface)
ln a large mixing bowl add above ingredients and mix with a fork until it start to come together and looks evenly mixed. it will need more flour but only add 1/4 cup of additional flour at a time.
Put 1/2 cup of flour on your work surface and scoop out mixture and slowly try to form a ball by rolling the mixture a little at a time in the flour. Keep kneading until the ball feels workable. It may still seam sticky but only add a little flour at a time.
Next coat ball witb flour and place in a bowl covered at room temperature on counter top and let stand for at least one hour to rest.
Place ball on work surface , coat with a little more flour and cut into four pieces. Work with one piece at at a time.
Roll out. If sticky, dust with flour and turn over. (It is better to be a little sticky underneath) Cut dough with round cookie cutter or a glass. It is better to make ten or twelve at a time.
Place potato filling into dough and sort of mash it jnto the dough. Fold over and pinch together. If the ends don't stick together use your finger and rub a little cold Water on the inside edges and press together. Flour your hands and place pierogis on a towel until you have used all the dough.
Boil a large pot of salted water. Cook ten to twelve pierogis at a time. When they rise to the top simmer for five minutes
Drain and toss in a pan of butter, oil and onions until coated.
Julia Pushkar's Pierogi Filling
7 Russett or Idaho Potatoes
3/4 Pound American Cheese (softened)
sharp Cheese (Optional)
1 Large Onion
1 stick of butter and vegetable oil.
Peal potatoes and boil in a 2 1/2 quart pot, add one tablespoon of salt after water comes to a boil. When potatoes are done (when sharp knife goes thru) drain and add cheese over them. Add salt (sprinkkle some) and 1/4. teaspoon of pepper or more to Taste. Cover pot until cheese melts (a few minutes.) Using a hand masher mash potatoes. Do not use electric mixer. Add two tablespoons of onion mixture to mashed potatoes. Tilt pan so oil drains away from onion. Let potato mixture cool and form into balls the size of large walnuts. Put balls on wax paper or saran wrap on a cookie sheet.
In a frying pan add diced onion and cover with oil and fry until golden brown. Add one stick of butter and melt. You will be using two tablespoons for the potato mixture and saving the rest for when the pierogis are boiled and drained. Use for coating cooked pierogis.
