Pierogi-Fest

Sticky dough

Queso Fresco

 Truth: I LOVE pierogis.  It's a traditional Polish (and then some) food that always reminds me of my father's side of the family.   False?  I never  False?  I never remember anyone actually making them.  

Has it I remember purchasing them and cooking them, but I never remember all-out-from-scratch Pierogis.  Has itbeen done? Potentially, and very probably.  My grandmother had a huge garden and canned fruits, veggies, and sauces like a fiend.  However, I never saw it done.  Doesn't mean it wasn't, just means I never bore witness.  So, when I found this recipe, I thought, PERFECT!  It doesn't seem too difficult, and it's potato and cheese, my favorite!

Flavorful Mash

 First of all, the stuffing is DELICIOUS!  I used, mostly, ingredients I had in the house, like the Klondike Gold potatoes and Queso Fresco.  I didn't want to buy similar items when I had, so I made do.  No biggie.

The recipe (again, listed here) was so easy to follow. By myself, it took about three hours from start to finish, but if I had a partner, it would have gone much more quickly.  As it was, it wasn't that bad, but I'm glad there's lots to freeze.  Seriously, these are three and a half dozen large pierogi (and pretty misshapen, but tasty just the same)!

Rolling the dough definitely helps with portion control.

But of course I never got them exactly round...

They said to stuff while holding.  I found it easier to stuff on the rolling sheet.

These puppies were BIG.  3+" Pierogis are more sizeable than you'd think!

  

 I rolled and pressed the edges.  I lived in fear that they'd explode once they hit the water.

Surprisingly, they held tight, and only a couple sprung leaks, but it wasn't noticeable when I took them out of the water, with the exception of little holes slightly bigger than the head of a pin.

I was seriously impressed with my first trial run.

Seriously.

I did the flash-boil/set thingee.  Thomas called it something special, but basically you put them in, they float after about a minute, then you keep boiling for another 4.  It sets the dough and makes it easier to save and transport.  At this point, I'm going to make some for dinner and try to freeze the rest.  We'll see how that goes.  Thomas thinks I should individually wrap each one until it's frozen, then unwrap and leave in the freezer.  Seems like a lot of work.  I said if he is so inclined, he can do it later!


After this step, it's just a quick saute (in butter if you know what's good for you) and serve.  YUMMY!

Served it up with Red Cabbage, Mom's Meatloaf, and Homemade Apple Sauce!