Spinach is often added to twaróg or yoghurt cheese but I wanted a more meaty mixture.
Lots of spinach cooks down to quite a small amount so the amount can be whatever you have.
You can mince the chicken and spinach but I used a mini-chopper, which gave a great smooth filling.
Ingredients – Filling
150 – 200g cooked chicken thighs
150 -200g fresh spinach
1-2 tablespoons melted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
*
Melted butter to serve
Method – Filling
Blanch the spinach in rosȯł, chicken stock or boiling water for several minutes.
Let it cool and drain it.
Whisk the spinach in a mini chopper.
Minch the chicken or use a mini chopper.
Mix the spinach with the chicken until well mixed.
Mix well in the cooled, melted butter.
Season to taste.
*
Serve with melted butter.
*
Instructions for putting the pierogi together are below the photographs.
How to make pierogi
Ingredients – Dough
250g pasta flour or plain flour & 2 tablespoons of fine semolina
150ml water
1 tablespoon oil – sunflower or light olive
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk.
Method – Dough
In a jug or bowl mix together the water, oil and the yolk.
Put the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour in the liquid from the jug and initially use a knife to mix this into the flour and then use your hands to mix the liquid and flour to get a ball of dough.
Turn this out onto a floured board and knead the dough for a few minutes until you have a smooth ball.
Cover and leave to rest for about ½ an hour.
*
Cut the dough into half.
Prepare a large tray and cover it with a clean cotton or linen tea towel and sprinkle this with flour.
On a floured board roll out the dough a half at a time until you have a sheet of thinly rolled dough.
Cut out circles using a 7 cm diameter cutter.
The excess dough can be re-mixed and rolled out again.
Around a half tablespoon of filling is put on each circle and then they are folded over and the edges pinched together to make a good seal.
You learn from experience how much filling to put in as too much will make it hard to seal them and if not properly sealed they will burst on boiling. Do not worry if you have a few mishaps – it still happens – even with experience – it is hard to salvage one that has gone wrong – just accept that there will be a few that you do not cook.
Place the sealed pierogi on prepared tray until they are all made, do not let then touch each other.
*
To cook the pierogi
Use a large pan of boiling water to which you have added some salt and a drizzle of oil.
Drop the pierogi in one by one and allow them to boil. I usually do about 5 to 6 at a time.
As they cook they will float to the surface, let them boil for 2 minutes and then remove them with a slotted or perforated spoon and put into a colander above a pan for a few seconds to drain and serve with melted butter.
Continue boiling batches in the same water.
If you want to make all the pierogi to serve together then you need to get a large oven proof dish.
Melt lots of butter in the dish.
Keep the dish warm in a low oven.
As you take out the cooked pierogi add them to the dish and coat them with the melted butter.
You can mince the chicken and carrots but I used a mini-chopper, which gave a great smooth filling.
Ingredients
200g of cooked chicken thighs – without bones or skin
5-6 carrots boiled with the thighs
1 tablespoon of melted butter
1 egg yolk
Salt & pepper to taste
Method
Mince or use a mini-chopper to get a smooth mixture of chicken and carrots.
Mix in the melted butter and egg yolk.
Season to taste.
Use the filling to make pierogi in the usual way.
*
Serve with melted butter.
*
I have added how to make pierogi – below the photographs.
How to make pierogi
Ingredients – Dough
250g pasta flour or plain flour & 2 tablespoons of fine semolina
150ml water
1 tablespoon oil – sunflower or light olive
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
Method – Dough
In a jug or bowl mix together the water, oil and the yolk.
Put the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour in the liquid from the jug and initially use a knife to mix this into the flour and then use your hands to mix the liquid and flour to get a ball of dough.
Turn this out onto a floured board and knead the dough for a few minutes until you have a smooth ball.
Cover and leave to rest for about ½ an hour.
*
Cut the dough into half.
Prepare a large tray and cover it with a clean cotton or linen tea towel and sprinkle this with flour.
On a floured board roll out the dough a half at a time until you have a sheet of thinly rolled dough.
Cut out circles using a 7 cm diameter cutter.
The excess dough can be re-mixed and rolled out again.
Around a half tablespoon of filling is put on each circle and then they are folded over and the edges pinched together to make a good seal.
You learn from experience how much filling to put in as too much will make it hard to seal them and if not properly sealed they will burst on boiling. Do not worry if you have a few mishaps – it still happens – even with experience – it is hard to salvage one that has gone wrong – just accept that there will be a few that you do not cook.
Place the sealed pierogi on prepared tray until they are all made, do not let then touch each other.
*
To cook the pierogi
Use a large pan of boiling water to which you have added some salt and a drizzle of oil.
Drop the pierogi in one by one and allow them to boil. I usually do about 5 to 6 at a time.
As they cook they will float to the surface, let them boil for 2 minutes and then remove them with a slotted or perforated spoon and put into a colander above a pan for a few seconds to drain and serve with melted butter.
Continue boiling batches in the same water.
If you want to make all the pierogi to serve together then you need to get a large oven proof dish.
Melt lots of butter in the dish.
Keep the dish warm in a low oven.
As you take out the cooked pierogi add them to the dish and coat them with the melted butter.
I decided to try these after makingfish pulpety, which were so good.
I adapted the filling slightly.
I used frozen basa fish but cod or haddock would also be good.
I have not made pierogi with a fish filling before – the verdict – delicious!
Ingredients – Filling
150-200g cooked white fish
1 onion chopped fine
3 tablespoons of butter
1 egg – beaten
1 slice white bread or a small bread roll
1 tablespoon of dried breadcrumbs
Chopped flat-leaved parsley
Salt & Pepper to taste
*
Melted butter – to serve
Method – Filling
Fry the onions gently in the butter till golden.
Leave the onions to cool.
Make crumbs from the white bread.
Chop the fish into small pieces.
Mix the ingredients together.
Season to taste.
Use the filling to make pierogi *in the usual way.
*
*Quick recap of pierogi instructions below
To Serve
These are good served just with the melted butter.
I also liked the gently refried ones, in the butter, the next day.
*Pierogi Instructions
Ingredients – Dough
250g pasta flour or plain flour & 2 tablespoons of fine semolina
150ml water
1 tablespoon oil – sunflower or light olive
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
Method – Dough
In a jug or bowl mix together the water, oil and the yolk.
Put the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour in the liquid from the jug and initially use a knife to mix this into the flour and then use your hands to mix the liquid and flour to get a ball of dough.Turn this out onto a floured board and knead the dough for a few minutes until you have a smooth ball.
Cover and leave to rest for about ½ an hour.
*
Cut the dough into half.
Prepare a large tray and cover it with a clean cotton or linen tea towel and sprinkle this with flour.
On a floured board roll out the dough a half at a time until you have a sheet of thinly rolled dough.
Cut out circles using a 7 cm diameter cutter.
The excess dough can be re-mixed and rolled out again.
Around a half tablespoon of filling is put on each circle and then they are folded over and the edges pinched together to make a good seal.
You learn from experience how much filling to put in as too much will make it hard to seal them and if not properly sealed they will burst on boiling. Do not worry if you have a few mishaps – it still happens – even with experience – it is hard to salvage one that has gone wrong – just accept that there will be a few that you do not cook.
Place the sealed pierogi on prepared tray until they are all made, do not let then touch each other.
*
To cook the pierogi, use a large pan of boiling water to which you have added some salt and a drizzle of oil.
Drop the pierogi in one by one and allow them to boil. I usually do about 5 to 6 at a time.
As they cook they will float to the surface, let them boil for 2 minutes and then remove them with a slotted or perforated spoon and put into a colander above a pan for a few seconds to drain and serve with melted butter.
Continue boiling batches in the same water.
If you want to make all the pierogi to serve together then you need to get a large oven proof dish.
Melt lots of butter in the dish.
Keep the dish warm in a low oven.
As you take out the cooked pierogi add them to the dish and coat them with the melted butter.
Well over a year ago when on a trip to Gdańsk, in one restaurant I saw on the menu pierogi (Polish filled pasta) which had leeks, peas and soured cream as a filling.
Although I did not try these, I thought they sounded good and tried out this mixture as a filling for buckwheat pancakes.
At last I have had the time to try this out as a filling for pierogi.
I adjusted the filling I had made for the pancakes by using cream cheese (or twaróg or yoghurt cheese) rather than soured cream.
Filling
2 leeks – chopped
50 – 75g frozen peas
2-3 tablespoons of butter
2 -3 tablespoons of cream cheese, twaróg or yoghurt cheese
Salt and pepper to taste.
Using a deep large frying pan with a lid (a glass one is best), melt the butter and gently cook the leeks to soften them but not brown.
Add the frozen peas and cover with the lid and cook for a few minutes.
Stir the mixture and continue to heat without the lid to drive off excess liquid.
Purée most of the mixture – keeping some of the peas whole.
Stir in the cream cheese (twaróg or yoghurt cheese).
Season to taste.
Ingredients – Dough
250g pasta flour or plain flour & 2 tablespoons of fine semolina
150ml water
1 tablespoon oil – sunflower or light olive
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
Method – Dough
In a jug or bowl mix together the water, oil and the yolk.
Put the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour in the liquid from the jug and initially use a knife to mix this into the flour and then use your hands to mix the liquid and flour to get a ball of dough.
Turn this out onto a floured board and knead the dough for a few minutes until you have a smooth ball.
Cover and leave to rest for about ½ an hour.
*
Cut the dough into half.
Prepare a large tray and cover it with a clean cotton or linen tea towel and sprinkle this with flour.
On a floured board roll out the dough a half at a time until you have a sheet of thinly rolled dough.
Cut out circles using a 7 cm diameter cutter.
The excess dough can be re-mixed and rolled out again.
Around a half tablespoon of filling is put on each circle and then they are folded over and the edges pinched together to make a good seal.
You learn from experience how much filling to put in as too much will make it hard to seal them and if not properly sealed they will burst on boiling. Do not worry if you have a few mishaps – it still happens – even with experience – it is hard to salvage one that has gone wrong – just accept that there will be a few that you do not cook.
Place the sealed pierogi on prepared tray until they are all made, do not let then touch each other.
*
To cook the pierogi, use a large pan of boiling water to which you have added some salt and a drizzle of oil.
Drop the pierogi in one by one and allow them to boil. I usually do about 6 to 7 at a time.
As they cook they will float to the surface, let them boil for 2 minutes and then remove them with a slotted or perforated spoon and put into a colander above a pan for a few seconds to drain and serve with melted butter.
Continue boiling batches in the same water.
If you want to make all the pierogi to serve together then you need to get a large oven proof dish.
Melt lots of butter in the dish.
Keep the dish warm in a low oven.
As you take out the cooked pierogi add them to the dish and coat them with the melted butter.
Keep on adding more as they cook.
Plate- Alfred Meakin – Midwinter – Spanish Garden 1960s
To Serve
These are good served just with the melted butter.
I also liked the gently refried ones, in the butter, the next day.
Pierogi arelittle semi-circular parcels of pasta which are made with a multitude of fillings.
I wrote a very large post about them over 4 years ago.
Today I am looking at ones with a sweet filling – in this post – sweetened twaróg – curd cheese.
Pierogi with sweet fillings are made in just the same way as savoury ones.
Circles of dough have a filling placed on them. The dough is folded over and pinched to make a semi circle and these are boiled in slightly salted water.
Once boiled, sweet pierogi are dredged with icing, granulated or caster sugar and are often served with soured cream. They are best eaten straight away.
I must admit that when I was younger I did not really like sweet pierogi but now I think they are utterly delicious especially when served with soured cream.
Sweet Cheese Filling
Ingredients
200g curd cheese/twaróg or yoghurt cheese
40g caster sugar
1 egg yolk or 1 tablespoon of soured cream
1- 2 drops of vanilla essence
Tiny pinch of salt
Method – Filling
Thoroughly mix all the ingredients together.
Ingredients – Dough
250g pasta flour or plain flour & 2 tablespoons of fine semolina
150ml water
1 tablespoon oil – sunflower or light olive
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
Method – Dough
In a jug or bowl mix together the water, oil and the yolk.
Put the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour in the liquid from the jug and initially use a knife to mix this into the flour and then use your hands to mix the liquid and flour to get a ball of dough.
Turn this out onto a floured board and knead the dough for a few minutes until you have a smooth ball.
Cover and leave to rest for about ½ an hour.
*
Cut the dough into half.
Prepare a large tray and cover it with a clean cotton or linen tea towel and sprinkle this with flour.
On a floured board roll out the dough a half at a time until you have a sheet of thinly rolled dough.
Cut out circles using a 7 cm diameter cutter.
The excess dough can be re-mixed and rolled out again.
Around a half tablespoon of filling is put on each circle and then they are folded over and the edges pinched together to make a good seal.
You learn from experience how much filling to put in as too much will make it hard to seal them and if not properly sealed they will burst on boiling. Do not worry if you have a few mishaps – it still happens – even with experience – it is hard to salvage one that has gone wrong – just accept that there will be a few that you do not cook.
Place the sealed pierogi on prepared tray until they are all made, do not let then touch each other.
*
To cook the pierogi, use a large pan of boiling water to which you have added some salt and a drizzle of oil.
Drop the pierogi in one by one and allow them to boil. I usually do about 6 to 7 at a time.
As they cook they will float to the surface, let them boil for 2 minutes and then remove them with a slotted or perforated spoon and put into a colander above a pan for a few seconds to drain and serve.
Continue boiling batches in the same water.
If you want to make all the pierogi to serve together then you need to get a large oven proof plate.
Keep the plate warm in a low oven.
As you take out the cooked pierogi add them to the plate trying not to make them touch.
Keep on adding more as they cook.
To Serve
Sprinkle with icing, granulated or caster sugar and some soured cream.
Served here on Royal Doulton – Carnation – 1982-1998
Pierogi arelittle semicircular parcels of pasta which are made with a multitude of fillings.
I wrote a very large post about them over 4 years ago.
Pierogi with sweet fillings are made in just the same way as savoury ones.
Circles of dough have a filling placed on them. The dough is folded over and pinched to make a semi circle and these are boiled in slightly salted water.
Once boiled, sweet pierogi are dredged with icing, granulated or caster sugar and are often served with soured cream. They are best eaten straight away.
I must admit that when I was younger I did not really like sweet pierogi but now I think they are utterly delicious especially when served with soured cream.
Red Fruits
In the summer and early autumn in Poland, when all the fruits of the forests and the garden are ripe, that is when these pierogi are at their best. However bottled fruit is available all year round and I often make my sweet pierogi with these.
You can also use defrosted frozen fruit.
My favourite are:
Morello(sour) Cherries – fresh ones are not usually available in England – I use bottled ones.
Whinberries (bilberries) – these grew in Lancashire near my home and also could be bought in baskets imported from Poland. (I think the larger American Blueberry is nowhere near as tasty.)
When we went to pick these I know this always made my mother think of her childhood in Poland.
Some of the other options are:
Blackberries
Blackcurrants
Raspberries
Strawberries
*
Depending on the size of the fruit, you need about 3 or 4 per circle.
Do not add sugar to fresh fruit as this will make too much liquid and the pierogi will not seal.
If using bottled fruit you need to strain as much juice away as possible.
If using defrosted frozen fruit dab away any excess water.
Drench the cooked pierogi in icing sugar and serve with sour cream. The sugar contrasts with tartness of the fruit.
Ingredients – Dough
250g pasta flour or plain flour & 2 tablespoons of fine semolina
150ml water
1 tablespoon oil – sunflower or light olive
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
Method – Dough
In a jug or bowl mix together the water, oil and the yolk.
Put the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour in the liquid from the jug and initially use a knife to mix this into the flour and then use your hands to mix the liquid and flour to get a ball of dough.
Turn this out onto a floured board and knead the dough for a few minutes until you have a smooth ball.
Cover and leave to rest for about ½ an hour.
*
Cut the dough into half.
Prepare a large tray and cover it with a clean cotton or linen tea towel and sprinkle this with flour.
On a floured board roll out the dough a half at a time until you have a sheet of thinly rolled dough.
Cut out circles using a 7 cm diameter cutter.
The excess dough can be re-mixed and rolled out again.
Depending on the fruit and size place 3 to 4 on each circle.
Folded them over and pinch the edges together to make a good seal.
You learn from experience how much filling to put in as too much will make it hard to seal them and if not properly sealed they will burst on boiling. Do not worry if you have a few mishaps – it still happens – even with experience – it is hard to salvage one that has gone wrong – just accept that there will be a few that you do not cook.
Place the sealed pierogi on the prepared tray until they are all made, do not let then touch each other.
*
To cook the pierogi, use a large pan of boiling water to which you have added some salt and a drizzle of oil.
Drop the pierogi in one by one and allow them to boil. I usually do about 6 to 7 at a time.
As they cook they will float to the surface, let them boil for 2 minutes and then remove them with a slotted or perforated spoon and put into a colander above a pan for a few seconds to drain and serve.
Continue boiling batches in the same water.
If you want to make all the pierogi to serve together then you need to get some oven proof plates.
Keep the plates warm in a low oven.
As you take out the cooked pierogi add them to the plates, trying not to make them touch.
Keep on adding more as they cook.
To Serve
Sprinkle with icing, granulated or caster sugar and some soured cream.
So I have decided on this Polish classic with a new twist – one I will certainly be making again.
Last Easter time I was in Gdańsk and I got to eat many old favourites and several new dishes.
I tried pierogi in several restaurants, choosing some unusual fillings and have written about some of these already such as pierogi with duck.
I did find that some of the meaty ones were too big – I use a 7cm diameter cutter, which for me gives a better filling to pasta ratio.
On one menu I noticed a filling of chicken, raisins and walnuts. I did not get the chance to eat these but decided that this was a must to try out.
Ingredients
150 -200g of cooked chicken or thighs – roasted or poached – amounts are not critical.
50g of raisins
30-50g of walnuts
Pepper to taste
Method
Place the raisins in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water.
Leave for an hour till they swell up.
Place them into a small saucepan heat them slowly and simmer stirring with a wooden spoon.
Once you have a pulp of the raisins leave them to go cold.
Chop the walnuts into small pieces.
Chop or mince the chicken.
Mix the ingredients together.
Season with pepper.
*
Use this filling for the pierogi – instructions for the dough are given below.
*
Serve with melted butter.
I have written much previously about pierogi – but have included the instructions for the dough again below to save you looking it up.
Ingredients – Dough
250g pasta flour or strong flour or plain flour & 2 tablespoons of fine semolina
150ml water
1 tablespoon oil – sunflower or light olive
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
Method
In a jug or bowl mix together the water, oil and the yolk.
Put the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour in the liquid from the jug and initially use a knife to mix this into the flour and then use your hands to mix the liquid and flour to get a ball of dough.
Turn this out onto a floured board and knead the dough for a few minutes until you have a smooth ball.
Cut the dough into quarters.
On a floured board roll out a quarter at a time until you have a sheet of thinly rolled dough.
Now prepare a large tray and cover it with a clean tea towel and sprinkle this with flour.
Have a large surface such as a tray covered with a cotton or linen cloth which has been lightly floured ready and place the sealed pierogi on this until they are all made, do not let then touch each other.
I cut them out using a 7 cm diameter cutter.
The excess dough can be re-mixed and rolled out again.
Around a half tablespoon of filling is put on each circle and then they are folded over and the edges pinched together to make a good seal.
You learn from experience how much filling to put in as too much will make it hard to seal them and if not properly sealed they will burst on boiling. Do not worry if you have a few mishaps – it still happens to me even with experience – it is hard to salvage one that has gone wrong – just accept that there will be a few that you do not cook.
To cook the pierogi, use a large pan of boiling water to which you have added some salt and a drizzle of oil.
Drop the pierogi in one by one and allow them to boil. I usually do about 6 to 8 at a time.
As they cook they will float to the surface, let them boil for 2 to 3 minutes and then remove them with a slotted or perforated spoon and put them into a colander above a pan for a few seconds to drain.
Continue boiling batches in the same water.
If you want to make all the pierogi to serve together then you need to get a large shallow dish and put melted butter into the dish.
Keep the dish warm in a low oven.
As you take out the cooked pierogi add them to the dish, mix them with the butter to prevent them sticking.
Keep on adding more as they cook and keep shaking the dish to coat and mix them.
Fried pierogi
All the butter coated pierogi that are not eaten can be fried up later – equally delicious!
Any that are not eaten should be spread out so that they cool with the melted butter around them.
Later, you can then fry them up gently so they are golden in parts.
I have recently returned from a super, short holiday in Gdańsk during which I tried out many old favourites and several new dishes.
I tried pierogi in several restaurants, choicing some unusual fillings and have been inspired to make them with some new fillings.
I did find that some of the meaty ones were too big – I use a 7cm diameter cutter, which for me gives a better filling to pasta ratio. and have been inspired to make some with some new fillings.
I had several delicious meals in a restaurant in the Old Town calledGvara– the name is based on the Polish wordgwara which means dialect(Polish does not have the letter v !). This restaurant serves Polish cuisine – often with a modern take and it has given me much inspiration for some new recipes.
One of the dishes there was pierogi with duck in the filling.
On the way back to the airport the taxi driver told me that his wife would be cooking duck with red cabbage for Easter Sunday – this set me thinking!
Because I had several ducks in the freezer, I roasted these and took off all the meat – however in the future I would just buy duck breasts or legs and roast or poach them.
3 Duck Fillings
Cooked duck meat – roasted or poached – is used in these recipes – amouts are not critical.
Fillings must be left to go cold before using.
Duck & Apple
150g of cooked duck meat
4 eating apples – Braeburn or Coxes are good
Method
Core the apples and place them in a oven proof dish
Cook them in a medium oven until the flesh is soft
Scope out all the apple flesh
Chop or mince the cooked duck meat
Combine the duck and apple flesh together.
Serve with melted butter – here on Royal Worcester – Evesham from 1961 onwards.
Duck, Red Cabbage & Cranberries
150g of cooked duck meat
300g red cabbage
50g of dried cranberries
1 tablespoon of butter
Method
Rather than boiling, steaming or slow cooking the red cabbage, I used a sort of stir-fry & braising method which worked really well.
Put the cranberries in a dish a cover them with some boiling water and leave them for about half an hour.
Shred the cabbage.
In a deep frying/ saucepan heat some water and add the butter.
Stir in the cabbage and simmer gently for a few minutes.
Cover the pan – a glass lid is good so you can see what is happening – you need to check and stir occasionally.
Simmer for around 10 minutes.
Add the cranberries & water, stir and on put the lid back on.
Simmer for around 10 to 15 minutes.
Keep a check on the water so it does not dry out.
If the cabbage has not cooked enough – adjust the water and cook for a bit longer.
Leave to cool completely
Use a mini-chopper or stick blender to shred the cabbage mixture.
Chop or mince the cooked duck meat.
Combine the duck and cabbage & cranberry mixture together.
Serve with melted butter – here on La prune by Jet for Ter Steege in The Netherlands.
Duck & Sauerkraut
150g of cooked duck meat
Around half a large jar of sauerkraut
1 onion
1 tablespoon of butter
Pepper to taste
Method
Put the sauerkraut with the liquid from the tin or jar into a pan and cover with boiling water.
Simmer the sauerkraut gently for about 30 minutes.
Then uncover and boil off as much of the liquid as possible – without burning the sauerkraut.
Allow the boiled sauerkraut to cool.
Strain it using a sieve and pressing it down with a spoon to get the mixture as dry as possible (If you want you can put the strained mixture into a clean dry cotton or linen teacloth, twist the ends together to squeeze it to get it really dry).
Chop the sauerkraut finely with a sharp knife.
Chop the onion finely and fry it gently in the butter until it is soft and golden – leave it to cool.
Chop or mince the cooked duck meat.
Combine the cabbage mixture, the fried onion and the chopped sauerkraut.
Add some pepper to taste.
Fried pierogi
All the butter coated pierogi that are not eaten can be fried up later – equally delicious!
I have written much previously about pierogi – but have included the instructions for the dough again below.
Ingredients – Dough
250g pasta flour or strong flour or plain flour & 2 tablespoons of fine semolina
150ml water
1 tablespoon oil – sunflower or light olive
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
Method
In a jug or bowl mix together the water, oil and the yolk.
Put the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour in the liquid from the jug and initially use a knife to mix this into the flour and then use your hands to mix the liquid and flour to get a ball of dough.
Turn this out onto a floured board and knead the dough for a few minutes until you have a smooth ball.
Cut the dough into quarters.
On a floured board roll out a quarter at a time until you have a sheet of thinly rolled dough.
Now prepare a large tray and cover it with a clean tea towel and sprinkle this with flour.
Have a large surface such as a tray covered with a cotton or linen cloth which has been lightly floured ready and place the sealed pierogi on this until they are all made, do not let then touch each other.
I cut them out using a 7 cm diameter cutter.
The excess dough can be re-mixed and rolled out again.
Around a half tablespoon of filling is put on each circle and then they are folded over and the edges pinched together to make a good seal.
You learn from experience how much filling to put in as too much will make it hard to seal them and if not properly sealed they will burst on boiling. Do not worry if you have a few mishaps – it still happens to me even with experience – it is hard to salvage one that has gone wrong – just accept that there will be a few that you do not cook.
To cook the pierogi, use a large pan of boiling water to which you have added some salt and a drizzle of oil.
Drop the pierogi in one by one and allow them to boil. I usually do about 6 to 8 at a time (I only do 6 at a time if using frozen ones).
As they cook they will float to the surface, let them boil for 2 to 3 minutes, a bit more if they were frozen, and then remove them with a slotted or perforated spoon and put into a colander above a pan for a few seconds to drain and serve.
Continue boiling batches in the same water.
If you want to make all the pierogi to serve together then you need to get a large shallow dish and put the melted butter into the dish
Keep the dish warm in a low oven.
As you take out the cooked pierogi add them to the dish, mix them with the butter to prevent them sticking.
Keep on adding more as they cook and keep shaking the dish to coat and mix them.
I wrote a long post on pierogi and uszka over two years ago and this has lots of details on Polish pasta.
This post is an update on how to make uszka in advance and open freeze them.
Uszka – means ‘little ears’ and traditionally mushroom uszka are made for Wigila – the Christmas Eve meal to serve either on their own with butter or floating in barszcz (clear beetroot soup).
I usually make around 250 to 300 uszka on the morning of Christmas Eve.
Last Chritmas I was going to be taking the uszka to my sister’s to cook there and also needed some on another day to cook at home.
I knew that I could make them in advance and open freeze them; so decided that this year I would make them in small batches and freeze them up over the few weeks before Christmas Eve.
In Poland these will have been made with just dried mushrooms, here in England my mother made them with fresh mushrooms with the addition of dried mushrooms when she could get them. I like them like this the best.
Ingredients – Mushroom Filling
20g dried mushrooms
250g mushrooms – older open ones are better than button mushrooms.
Pour a small amount of boiling water into the dried mushrooms and leave these overnight.
You can remove the stalks from the older fresh mushrooms as these tend to be ‘woody’ and then cut the caps into thin slices.
Chop the onion into small pieces.
Fry the mushrooms and onions together in the butter.
Chop the reconstituted dried mushroom (You can save the liquor for other recipes) and add these to the mixture and heat them together for a few minutes more.
It does depend on the mushrooms and the way they are fried as to how much liquid is produced, if you get a lot, then let them simmer gently to evaporate as much as possible or strain some of this excess off (again you can use this liquor in soups or sauces).
Allow the mixture to cool.
The mixture then needs to be minced which used to take me a long time and much effort. I now use a hand blender which works really well indeed.
To the minced mixture add the egg yolk and enough breadcrumbs to make a stiff filling.
Add salt and lots of ground black pepper.
You can divide up the mixture into 3 or 4 portions and freeze these in plastic bags or tubs to use at a later date.
Uszka Dough
The dough is made from flour, egg yolks and water and I have seen many variations of the recipe. The following is my mother’s and I think it is the best I have ever used and tasted.
She never used whole eggs, just the yolks and this gives a dough which is soft and not tough and can be easily rolled out.
My mother originally used plain flour and added a tablespoon or two of fine semolina but now that strong flour or even pasta flour is readily available this is what I use the most.
Flour does vary and it is possible to add more flour to the dough as you are mixing it but you cannot add more liquid if it is too dry!
As you mix the ingredients in the first few minutes you should be able to tell if it will be too dry and you can add some more water initially but once it is all mixed together you cannot – if it goes wrong – just start again!
The quantities that I have given work well and but you should allow for extra flour if needed.
Depending on how thinly you roll out the dough, this amount should make around 70 uszka.
Ingredients – Dough
250g pasta flour or strong flour or plain flour & 2 tablespoons of fine semolina
150ml water
1 tablespoon oil – sunflower or light olive
½ teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
Method
In a jug or bowl mix together the water, oil and the yolk.
Put the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour in the liquid from the jug and initially use a knife to mix this into the flour and then use your hands to mix the liquid and flour to get a ball of dough.
Turn this out onto a floured board and knead the dough for a few minutes until you have a smooth ball.
Cut the dough into quarters.
On a floured board roll out a quarter at a time until you have a sheet of thinly rolled dough.
Now prepare a large tray and cover it with a clean tea towel and sprinkle this with flour.
Have a large surface such as a tray covered with a cotton or linen cloth which has been lightly floured ready and place the sealed uszka on this until they are all made, do not let then touch each other.
I usually make the uszka from squares of dough, about 4cm square, which are folded.
This time, I made the shape in a slightly different way – so that I got a much more uniform shape and size.
I cut them out using a 6cm diameter cutter. (I also tried a 5cm diameter cutter which was good as the uszka were smaller but much moretime consuming!)
The excess dough can be re-mixed and rolled out again.
Around a small teaspoon of filling is put on each circle and then they are folded over and the edges pinched together to make a good seal.
The two ends are the brought together and pinched to make a round “ear” shape.
You learn from experience how much filling to put in as too much will make it hard to seal them and if not properly sealed they will burst on boiling. Do not worry if you have a few mishaps – it still happens to me even with experience – it is hard to salvage one that has gone wrong – just accept that there will be a few that you do not cook.
As you are making them place them on the floured cloth.
Open Freezing
You need to have a fairly empty freezer to do this
If you have a extra chill button on you freezer, switch that on.
You will need around 3 baking trays – sprinkle flour on these.
Place the uszka apart on floured baking trays so they are not touching and place the trays in the freezer for several hours – or even overnight – making sure the trays do not squash each other.
Once they are frozen, pack the uszka into boxes.
Cook them straight from frozen by dropping them individually straight into boiling salted water – 8 to 10 at a time.
As they cook they will float to the surface, let them boil for 2 to 3 minutes and then remove them with a slotted or perforated spoon and put into a colander above a pan for a few seconds to drain and serve. Continue boiling batches in the same water.
Uszka are served with melted butter or they can be served floating in a clear soup such as rosól – clear chicken soup or in barszcz – beetroot soup.
The convention is to serve three or five uszka in each dish.
Any that are not eaten should be spread out so that they cool with the melted butter around them.
later, you can then fry them up gently so they are golden in parts.
A new tradition which was stared by my mother is on Christmas Day morning to have uszka fried with bacon and eggs, we always make sure we have some saved!
The Verdict
So much easier making the uszka in advance, so I will continue to make them like this, slowly over the weeks before Wigilia.
Pierogi arelittle semicircular parcels of pasta which are made with a multitude of fillings.
Even though I make these myself, it is the dish I always crave when I go to Poland.
There are several theories as to how pasta style dishes came into Poland.
The general word for pasta especially noodles is makaron , which certainly has its roots in Italian; and as Italian cooking has influenced Polish cooking from the 16th century I used to think that was where the dishes originated. I find it amusing that ravioli in Polish are called pierogi włoskie (Italian pierogi).
After doing some research it seems however that pierogi were around in Poland in the middle ages, they are mentioned in the 13th century and the name comes from an old Slav word for feast or festivity.
Many people believe that they came to Poland from the Far East through Siberia and Russia.
When I was in China in the 1990s, imagine my surprise when I was on several occasions offered dishes which were called Jiaoxi (dumplings) and they were exactly the same shape and size as pierogi and cooked in the same way!
Whatever the origins, the Poles have made pierogi their own; there are lots of traditional fillings, both savoury and sweet, and several ways of serving them.
In a pierogi cookery book I bought in Poland there are around 40 traditional ones and more than 20 new style ones. In a pierogi restaurant I went to in Kraków there were around 30 options on the menu.
Home-made pierogi
Pierogi
Pierogi are made from a thinly rolled out dough using a circular cutter, about 7 cm in diameter, we used to use a medium sized wine glass. A largish teaspoon of the filling is placed on the circle and this is then folded in half and the edges pinched together to seal them – this is done to give them a slightly crimped edge.
You learn from experience how much filling to put into the pierogi as too much will make it hard to seal them and if not properly sealed they will burst on boiling. Do not worry if you have a few mishaps – it still happens to me even with experience – it is hard to salvage one that has gone wrong – just accept that there will be a few that you do not cook.
Pierogi Dough
Pierogi dough is made from flour, egg and water and I have seen many variations of the recipe. The following is my mother’s and I think it is the best I have ever used and tasted.
She never used whole eggs, just the yolks and this gives a dough which is soft and not tough and can be easily rolled out. The recipes which use whole eggs give a tougher dough which is much harder to roll out.
My mother originally used plain flour and added a tablespoon or two of fine semolina but now that strong flour or even pasta flour is readily available this is what I use the most.
Another point is that flour does vary and it is possible to add more flour to the dough as you are mixing it but you cannot add more liquid if it is too dry!
As you mix the ingredients in the first few minutes you should be able to tell if it will be too dry and you can add some more water initially but once it is all mixed together you cannot – if it goes wrong – just start again.
The quantities that I have given work well and but you should allow for extra flour if needed.
Ingredients
500g pasta flour or strong flour or plain flour & 2 tablespoons of fine semolina
300 ml water
1 tablespoon oil – sunflower or light olive
½ teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks
Method
In a jug or bowl mix together the water, oil and yolks.
Put the flour and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the centre.
Pour the liquid mixture into the well and then with your hands incorporate the flour into the liquid until you have a large ball of dough.
Turn this out into a floured board and knead the dough for a few minutes until it is a smooth ball.
You can then use the dough straight away, cutting it into 4 quarters and rolling out a quarter at a time on a floured surface until the dough is thin. You can pull it out a bit at the beginning to give a more rectangular shape of even thickness.
You can cover the dough with a cloth and place it in the fridge till needed.
You can freeze the dough for a few days for later use, it is best to cut it into quarters and wrap these in cling film or plastic and place these in another bag or container.
Shaping The Pierogi
Rolled out the dough until it is thin and use a circular cutter, about 7cm in diameter, to make lots of circles. You can re-roll the cuttings to make more circles until all the dough is used.
A largish teaspoon of the filling is placed on to the dough circle and this is then folded in half and the edges pinched using your thumb and first finger to seal them – giving them a slightly crimped edge.
This quality of dough will make about 70 to 80 pierogi – depends on how thinly you roll the dough and the size of your cutter.
You can open freeze pierogi so sometimes I make a batch and open freeze half of them – then store them in a plastic box. They should be cooked from frozen just allowing a little extra time.
Pierogi Fillings
The quantities that I have given should be enough for the 500g batch of dough. Many of the fillings once made can be frozen; I sometimes make the mixture and freeze it in 2 to 3 small batches for later use.
A good tip is not to make the filling too moist, as any liquid on the dough will prevent you getting a good seal.
Have a large surface such as a tray covered with a cotton or linen cloth which has been lightly floured ready and place the sealed pierogi on this until they are all made, do not let then touch each other.
Cooking The Pierogi
To cook the pierogi, use a large pan of boiling water to which you have added some salt and a drizzle of oil. Drop the pierogi in one by one and allow them to boil. I usually do about 6 to 8 at a time (I only do 6 at a time if using frozen ones). As they cook they will float to the surface, let them boil for 2 to 3 minutes, a bit more if they were frozen, and then remove them with a slotted or perforated spoon and put into a colander above a pan for a few seconds to drain and serve. Continue boiling batches in the same water.
Serving Suggestion
Traditionally savoury pierogi are served with melted butter, skwarki – crispy smoked bacon bits, small pieces of fried onion or melted butter and dried breadcrumbs (à la Polonaise).
If you want to make all the pierogi to serve together then you need to get a large shallow dish and put the melted butter or skwarki or fried onions into the dish and keep the dish warm in a low oven. As you take out the cooked pierogi add them to the dish, mix them with the butter, skwarki or onions to prevent them sticking. Keep on adding more as they cook and keep shaking the dish to coat and mix them.
Once your have had your meal and you have any left (I leave some deliberately) then they are wonderful fried up later. You need a hot frying pan and should be able to just use the butter etc that they are coated in, maybe adding a little extra oil if needed. Fry them till the dough is golden and crispy.
Tip – spread out the cooked and coated pierogi for later frying to prevent them sticking
Savoury Fillings
Below are some of my favourite fillings.
All the filling must be allowed to cooled before using them – you can make these in advance – even the day before.
Sauerkraut & Mushroom
These is often served at Wigilia – the Christmas Eve meal
Ingredients
Approx 500g of sauerkraut (I used to get small jars but have not seen these lately – use part of a large jar – use the rest for something else)
20- 30g dried mushrooms.
1 onion
1 bay leaf
Ground black pepper to taste
Method
Put the mushrooms in a small bowl and cover them with boiling water and leave them overnight.
Strain the mushrooms but keep the liquid and then chop the mushrooms into small pieces.
Strain the sauerkraut but keep the liquid and chop the sauerkraut into small pieces.
Put the sauerkraut with the liquid from the tin or jar into a pan and cover with boiling water. Add some of liquid from the soaked mushrooms and the bay leaf. Boil the sauerkraut gently for about 30 minutes. Then uncover and boil off as much of the liquid as possible – without burning the sauerkraut.
Allow the boiled sauerkraut to cool and remove the bay leaf. Strain it using a sieve and pressing it down with a spoon to get the mixture as dry as possible (If you want you can put the strained mixture into a clean dry cotton or linen teacloth, twist the ends together to squeeze it to get it really dry).
Whilst the sauerkraut is cooking heat the chopped mushrooms gently in a small pan with the rest of the liquor, stirring to prevent it burning but reducing as much of the possible.
Chop the onion finely and fry it till it is soft and golden and add this to the mushroom mixture and mix it well together.
Mix the sauerkraut, mushrooms and onions together and add some ground black pepper to taste; salt should not be necessary.
Note
If your sauerkraut is very sour, you can add a little sugar to the mixture or you can put it into a sieve or colander and wash it for a few minutes in cold water.water before you start cooking it – you might want to add a little salt at the end if you use this method – taste and see)
Peel and boil the potatoes in salted water, strain and mash, then leave to cool.
Chop the onion finely and fry it till it is soft and golden, allow it to cool.
Mix together thoroughly, the potatoes, onions, cheese and egg yolk.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Cheese 2
When my mother did not have any curd cheese, she used Lancashire cheese, as that was the cheese most readily available to her. Both versions taste good, the secret with this one is to grate the cheese as finely as possible and mix it in well.
Ingredients
400g floury potatoes
1 onion
200g white crumbly cheese such as Lancashire
1 egg yolk
butter & oil to fry the onion
salt & ground black pepper to taste
Method
Peel and boil the potatoes in salted water, strain and mash, then leave to cool.
Chop the onion finely and fry it till it is soft and golden, allow it to cool.
Grate the cheese as finely as possible.
Mix together thoroughly, the potatoes, onions, cheese and egg yolk.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Note
My mother would boil extra potatoes on one day and save some to make these fillings the next.
In Poland you may see these savoury cheese ones on a menu as Pierogi ruskie – that is Ruthanian pierogi – from the old word for the Ukraine
Pork
Ingredients
300g shoulder or spare rib pork
1 onion
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon of dried breadcrumbs
approx 250 ml of chicken stock – can be from stock cubes
butter & oil to fry the onion
salt & ground black pepper to taste
Method
Pre heat the oven to GM 3 – 1600C
Put the pork into a small casserole dish and cover it with the stock and put on the lid.
Put the dish in the oven for at least 1 hour, depending on the meat you might need longer.
I cook the meat until it is tender and can be broken up with a fork and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Allow the meat to cool. You can mince the meat but I find that if you cook it long enough you do not need to, you can just chop it with a sharp knife .
Chop the onion finely and fry it till it is soft and golden, allow it to cool.
Mix thoroughly together: the meat, onion, yolk and breadcrumbs and then add salt and pepper to taste.
Chicken
You can cook a piece of breast chicken as for the pork filling, however neither my mother or myself ever did this; we used leftover roast chicken from a roast dinner.
Ingredients
300g of roast chicken
1 onion
1 egg yolk
1 slice of white bread
small amount of milk
butter & oil to fry the onion
salt & ground black pepper to taste
Method
Take the slice of bread and remove the crusts removed and leave this for half an hour in a bowl with a little milk – do not use the excess milk just the wet slightly squeezed bread.
Finely chop or mince the chicken.
Mix together the chicken, onion, egg yolk and bread to get a uniform mixture.
Sweet Fillings
The dough and method of making sweet pierogi is just the same as for the savoury ones.
Once boiled sweet pierogi are dredged with icing or caster sugar and are often served with soured cream. They are best eaten straight away.
I must admit that when I was younger I did not really like sweet pierogi but now I think they are utterly delicious especially when with soured cream.
Sweet Cheese 1
Ingredients
200g curd cheese/twaróg or yoghurt cheese
40g caster sugar
1 egg yolk
2 drops of vanilla essence
tiny pinch of salt
Method
Thoroughly mix all the ingredients together.
Sweet Cheese 2
Ingredients
250g curd cheese/twaróg or yoghurt cheese
40g caster sugar
2-3 tablespoons of soured cream
tiny pinch of salt
Method
Thoroughly mix all the ingredients together.
Red Fruits
In the summer in Poland, when all the fruits of the forests and the garden are ripe, that is when these pierogi are at their best. However bottled fruit is available all year round and I often make my sweet pierogi with these.
The following fruits are traditionally used –
Morello Cherries
Blackberries
Whinberries (bilberries) these grew in Lancashire near my home and also could be bought in baskets imported from Poland. (I think the larger American Blueberry is nowhere near as tasty.) When we went to pick these I know this always made my mother think of her childhood in Poland.
I tend to use half the amount of dough when making these fruit ones as they do not freeze well with fruit.
Depending on the size of the fruit, you need about 3 or 4 per circle.
Do not add sugar to fresh fruit as this will make too much liquid and the pierogi will not seal.
If using bottled fruit you need to strain as much juice away as possible.
Drenched the cooked pierogi in icing sugar and serve with sour cream. The sugar contrasts with tartness of the fruit.
A Variation ….
Knedle – Dumplings – With Plums
To me these are sweet pierogi – but I have been assured by my aunties in Poland – who made them for me on my last visit – that because of their shape – round balls – these are always called knedle.
The dough is just the same as for pierogi and they are boiled in just the same way but will take a bit longer to cook depending on the size of the plums.
Serve them dusted with icing sugar and serve with soured cream.
Plum Filling
500g fresh plums – small ones are best for the round shape & sugar – you will need about a half a teaspoon per plum.
Wash and dry the plums and remove the stalks. If the plums are small then use whole ones and if they are large use a sharp knife to cut them in half and remove the stone.
Cut strips of dough more than twice the size of the plum or plum half. Place the plum on one side and sprinkle with the sugar.
Fold over the other part of the dough and seal the edges well with your fingers – take care as the added sugar produces liquid – use excess dough to give a good seal then cut away the excess dough to give a more rounded shape.
Uszka
Uszka – means ‘little ears’ and they are much smaller and a different shape than pierogi and are always savoury.
They are made from squares of dough, about 4cm square. Half a teaspoon of filling is placed onto the square and then it is folded into a triangle and the edges sealed. The two ends at the folded side of the triangle are brought together and then pinched together giving a shape which is slightly rounded triangle with a pointed part, looking like a little ear.
When you have rolled out the dough until it is thin you cut the dough into squares no more than 4cm square. I used to use a sharp knife but have now found that using a pizza wheel to cut the dough is much easier. There is little waste dough with each rolling but you can still use all the scrapes to make one last batch.
The quality of dough will make about 150 and because of this I often only make half quantities – using 250g of flour, 150ml of water, 1 egg yolk and half a tablespoon of oil. (Except at Wigilia – the Christmas Eve meal, when I make the full amount)
The uszka are boiled in just the same way as pierogi, they are usually ready when they float to the surface.
The most traditional fillings are mushroom – see below – and Sauerkraut & Mushroom.
Uszka can be served just as pierogi with melted butter or they can be served floating in a clear soup such as rosól – clear chicken soup or in barszcz – beetroot soup.
Traditionally mushroom uszka are made for Wigila – the Christmas Eve meal either on their own with butter or served floating in barszcz (clear beetroot soup).
Mushroom Filling
In Poland these will have been made with just dried mushrooms, here in England my mother made them with fresh mushrooms with the addition of dried mushrooms when she could get them. I like them like this the best.
Ingredients
250g mushrooms – older open ones are better than button mushrooms.
Pour a small amount of boiling water into the dried mushrooms and leave these overnight.
You can remove the stalks from the older fresh mushrooms as these tend to be ‘woody’ and then cut them into thin slices.
Chop the onion into small pieces.
Fry the mushrooms and onions together in the butter. It does depend on the mushrooms and the way they are fried as to how much liquid is produced, if you get a lot, then let them simmer gently to evaporate as much as possible or strain some of this excess off (you can use this liquor in soups or sauces).
Allow the mixture to cool.
Chop the reconstituted dried mushroom (again you can save the liquor for other recipes) and add these to the mixture.
The mixture then needs to be minced which used to take me a long time and much effort. I now use a hand blender which works really well taking care not to liquidise it too much.
To the minced mixture add the egg yolk and then enough breadcrumbs to make a stiff filling.
Add salt and lots of ground black pepper.
Cut the dough into quarters
On a floured board roll out each piece until it is thin.
Using a sharp knife or pizza wheel cut the dough into 4cm squares (they can be smaller but they are harder to work).
Fold over each piece to form a triangle and pinch the edges together with your fingers.
Half a teaspoon of filling is placed onto the square and then it is folded into a triangle and the edges sealed. The two ends at the folded side of the triangle are brought together and pinched together giving a shape which is slightly rounded triangle with a pointed part.
They are cooked just as the pierogi in boiling water with the addition of salt and oil.
I serve them with melted butter.
If you are going to add them to soup do not coat them with butter – 2 to 4 are added to each serving.
Our New Tradition
After the Wigilia meal on Christmas Eve we always leave some uszka for the Christmas Day breakfast and we have fried eggs, grilled bacon with fried uszka – delicious!
PS
This must be my longest post as there is so much to say – I have only touched on the fillings that you can use & you can always make up your own.
Journey From A Polish Kitchen 