Tag: Fresh Chilli

• • I have been trying out new fillings for pierogi – all with chicken – here is the second.
  • This was on the menu in a restaurant in Kraków that I went to a few years ago  – I did not choose this but noted it down.
  • The filling is  made with cooked chicken as usual and  I have found that chicken thighs make a tastier dish than chicken breast.
  • I cooked the chicken as for  rosȯł – chicken soup.
  • You can mince the chicken and beans but I used a mini-chopper, which gave a great smooth filling.
  • This makes a lot of filling so I  have given instructions for 500g of flour for the dough.
  • The amount of chilli will vary depending on how fresh your chilli powder is and your tastes.
  • Use paprika instead of chilli if you do not like food hot.

Ingredients – Filling

• Tin Kidney beans – drained
• 250 – 350g cooked chicken
• 2- 3 teaspoons chilli powder  (to taste or paprika)
• 1 tablespoon of melted butter
• 2 egg yolks
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method – Filling

• Mash the beans well or use a mini chopper.
• Mince the chicken or use a mini chopper.
• Combine the chicken and beans.
• Add the melted butter and the egg yolks and mix well.
• Add the chilli and season to taste.

To Serve

• Serve with melted butter.
• Serve with onions – char cooked in butter.
• Serve with onions cooked with chopped peppers – can also add some chopped fresh chilli.
• Serve with melted butter with chilli flakes add – NOT tested.

How to make pierogi

Ingredients – Dough

• 500g pasta flour or plain flour & 2 tablespoons of fine semolina
• 300ml water
• 1 -2  tablespoons oil – sunflower or light olive
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 egg yolks

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 quarters.
  • 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 quarter 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.
  • Keep on adding more as they cook.