Kołduny

• Looking in my new recipe book “Wilno” I came across a recipe for kołduny.
• They looked very much like pierogi and did I some research to find out how they were similar and how different.
• Firstly the dough is made with just flour and hot (not boiling) water! – I was very curious as to how this would work out.
• The filling is meat, usually pork or beef or a mixture.
• The filling is raw minced meat – not cooked meat as in pierogi.
• Most recipes used “fatty” meat or added lard (I did not).
• The chopped onion is also raw.
• Garlic is added – I have not come across this used in pierogi.
• Kołduny are described as smaller than pierogi – I now realise that my pierogi are small so these did not seem much smaller.
• In order to cook the kołduny they are simmered for 20 minutes – much longer than pierogi are boiled.
• The kołduny are served with marjoram (fresh or dried) and butter or soured cream or
• They are often served in soup usually rosoł – clear chicken soup.
• In the book it states that the kołduny are not eaten with a knife and fork but with a soup!
• I found it hard to eat the ones in the soup as they were very hot to bite through!
• VERDICT
•  The dough was good and I would make that again. 
• However I suppose it is what one is used – but we all preferred the Polish cooked meat fillings of pierogi.

INGREDIENTS – DOUGH

• 480g plain flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Around 500ml of water at about 70°C (you might not need it all)

METHOD – DOUGH

• In a bowl mix the flour with the salt.
• Make a well in the centre and add 250ml of the water.
• At first using a knife or spoon – later with your hands –
• Keep adding water slowly and mix this in with the flour until you have a smooth ball of dough.
• Leave this to rest for 30 minutes.

INGREDIENTS – FILLING

• 500g of  minced pork or beef or a mixture.
• 1 egg
• 1 onion – chopped fine
• 2 cloves of garlic – chopped fine
• Marjoram – fresh or dried
• Salt & pepper

METHOD – FILLING

• Mix the ingredients together.
• Season with the salt & pepper.

Making the kołduny

• Prepare trays with floured tea towels to put the kołduny on.
• Cut the dough into quarters.
• Roll out the dough until it is thin.
• Cut out circles around a tumbler or cutter around 7cm in diameter. 
• Place a ball of filling in the centre.
• Seal up the edges with your fingers to get a semi circle.
• Place on the floured trays.
• Repeat with the rest of the dough and with re-rollings from the cutting.
• *
• Use a wide saucepan or deep frying pan.
• Add boiling water, salt and a little oil.
• Add about 8 kołduny and simmer them for 15 minutes.
• Remove with a slotted spoon.
• Repeat with the rest of them.
• *
• Serve with butter and marjoram or
• In rosoł – clear chicken soup.
• Take care when biting in as the filling will be very hot.
• *
• Although not traditional we fried up left over kołduny the next day.