There is a special "fork-like" tool that you can purchase at gourmet shops for sealing the pierogi, or just use a fork.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour, divided
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 1 egg white, slightly beaten, optional
  • Filling (recipes will follow later)
  • 2 quarts boiling salted water
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided, optional
  • 2 small onions, peeled, ends removed, sliced, optional
  • Sour cream to taste, optional

Directions

Sift 2 1/2 cups flour onto work surface. Sprinkle with salt. Make a volcano-like crater and place egg in center of crater. Incorporate egg into flour with hands. Slowly add cold water, working in with hands. Sprinkle work surface with remaining 1/2 cup flour. Knead dough about 10 minutes, until firm and smooth. Roll into a ball, cover with inverted bowl and let rest 10 minutes. Take a third of the dough at a time and roll out to a 9-inch circle. Let rest about 3 minutes. Dough will shrink, so re-roll to a 9-inch circle. With a 2 1/2-to 3-inch glass or biscuit cutter, cut dough into circles. If desired, brush edge of half of dough circle with beaten egg white. Place 2 tsps. of desired filling on each circle, slightly off center, fold in half and press edges to seal tight. Take 1 tsp. of flour from work surface and sprinkle on baking sheet. After filling pierogi, place on floured sheet. You'll get 9 or 10 pierogi from each third of dough. Repeat with remaining dough. Working in batches, drop pierogi into boiling salted water. When boiling resumes, reduce heat to a slow boil and cook about 10 minutes. Test to see if dough is cooked and tender by cutting open. Remove to colander with slotted spoon and rinse lightly with cold water. Serve hot or freeze. If desired at serving time, melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet, and saute onions 3 minutes. Add 8 to 10 pierogi and saute lightly until lightly brown. Repeat with remaining butter and pierogi. top with sour cream if desired. Makes 27-30 pierogi.



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Submitted 6/13/05.
Source: Detroit Free Press
Submitted By: Linda Wilson
lwilson@gatecom.com
Basic Pierogi