Oh pierogi, how can a little piece of dough stuffed with potato and cheese taste so darn good? I’ve had a hankerin’ for the eastern european potato dumpling since I was a bridesmaid for a good friend that I had met through work. At her fabulous wedding buffet there was pan after pan of delicious Pierogies that her Mom and Aunties had lovingly handmade. It was a family tradition! No matter how fancy the wedding or how posh the venue no wedding in that family was complete without at least a billion homemade pierogies. Let’s just say it was a good thing there was a lot of good dancing at that wedding to work off the calories, or my bridesmaid dress would have burst at the seams!
Being the resourceful person I am, I was sure to invite myself over the next time my friend’s Mom was making pierogies. She was one of those fabulous cooks that just used a bit of this and a bit of that, with no real recipe. She was kind enough to let me measure as she cooked, and I came up with a recipe. I used that recipe so many times I actually got to the point where I didn’t need to measure or follow the recipe anymore. So when I promised a couple of friends I would post my pierogi recipe, I had to stop and measure as I cooked, just like I did all those years ago. This recipe will only make about 30 pierogies, so while it won’t be enough for a wedding with 300 guests, it should be enough to feed your family!
Dough
1/2 cup cold mashed potatoes
2 tablespoons shortening
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup warm water
1 3/4 to 2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cream of tarter
Filling
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mashed potatoes
1 egg whites
salt and pepper to taste
Combine mashed potatoes, shortening and egg yolks in a bowl. In another bowl mix flour, salt and cream of tarter. Add flour mixture to mashed potato mixture a small amount at a time, alternating with the water. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 10 – 15 minutes.
Roll out dough to about 1/8th of an inch thick, cut with a 3 inch round cookie cutter.
Place about 1 heaping teaspoon of filling on each round, then fold and pinch edges together.
To cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add perogies in batches to boiling water and cook just until they float and puff slightly. (about 5 minutes)
Remove from water. Perogies can be served at this point, or fried in a pan with oil (and I add a bit of butter) until golden brown.
- Dough
- ½ cup cold mashed potatoes
- 2 tablespoons shortening
- 3 egg yolks
- ½ cup warm water
- 1¾ to 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cream of tarter
- Filling
- ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup mashed potatoes
- 1 egg whites
- salt and pepper to taste
- Combine mashed potatoes, shortening and egg yolks in a bowl. In another bowl mix flour, salt and cream of tarter. Add flour mixture to mashed potato mixture a small amount at a time, alternating with the water. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 10 – 15 minutes.
- Roll out dough to about ⅛th of an inch thick, cut with a 3 inch round cookie cutter.
- Place about 1 heaping teaspoon of filling on each round, then fold and pinch edges together.
- To cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add perogies in batches to boiling water and cook just until they float and puff slightly. (about 5 minutes)
- Remove from water. Perogies can be served at this point, or fried in a pan with oil (and I add a bit of butter) until golden brown.
I’ve never had pierogies before. They look delicious and the presentation is beautiful! I will be giving this recipe a try.
I have always wanted to make these and I might do it now…I love the egg yolk trick!
I love Perogies and buy the frozen ones all the time. I don’t know why, but I never thought of making them myself at home before. I will have to try this recipe one of these days 🙂
The ladies at our church make these over a series of days. I helped peel the potatoes… That’s it.
My kids love them, as do I. I had no idea there were potatoes in the dough!
We really enjoy good pierogies in our home, as they are a favorite dish! I have yet to make edible one a at, but this recipe looms easy to do and I hope I can get it done right, thank you for posting this!
That looks just delicious! I love pierogies, but I always thought they were a ton of work. Glad to see I’m wrong!
These look wonderful! I love these and will give your recipe a try. Either that or I have to move closer to you. Also, I have never heard of using a plastic bottle to separate egg yolks. Thanks for the tip!
Thank you for sharing this recepy! I love everything with potatoes in it, lol. Never tried pierogies but I bet they are amazing!
Wow! My teenagers are going to LOVE you! They love perogies and if I made them some homemade ones they would be so happy! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
That looks so good and easy to make! Very similar to the empanadas my grandma makes, except she deep fries those. This is healthier for sure.
These looks so good. My kids would enjoy these for sure!
Oh. My. Word. These look amazing! I’m going to try this recipe tonight!
I’ve always wanted to try this and now you’ve just showed me an easy way to separate my egg yolks. I’ve never done that before. I’m so going to try it. Thanks for sharing.
My family & I never tasted pierogies before, but it looks really simple to make I would introduce this to the hubby & ask him if he would like to try this out
Looks yummy …we had frozen ones tonight….
Wow these sound delicious, it has been a while since I have had Pierogies, but I love them too!
Thanks for the Post, Picture’s and the Recipe!
I can’t wait to try this! I grew up on authentic Hungarian/Polish pierogies and haven’t had a good real one in years. The recipe looks easy to follow and the pictures are great! I’ll make the potato ones but also want to try other fillings like cabbage, sauerkraut and cheese. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing this recipe, I might try this one day. My husband always tells me how good pierogies are.
Never had these before. they look pretty good.
I have always wanted to try this, thanks for passing on the recipe!
I’ll just wait for Pattypie to ship me some, my bucket list of new dishes are overflowing. LOL
Thanks for sharing! I like them fried better than boiled, but it’s just a preference. I also have made them with beef, onion and cabbage in them. Just cook the ingredients together and do the same thing.
oh yum! my college roommate’s parents are both originally from Poland – a decade or more after graduation from college and when she came to visit, guess what we made… pierogies. YUM
I love boxed pierogies. I’m sure home made is excellent! I’ve pinned it for later and look forward to trying these. Thanks!
Can’t wait to try these, they look delish!
Thanks for a great recipe.. I love pierogies but do not like pre-made foods.. I had no idea that they are THAT simple to make..thanks for sharing, gonna give them a try soon
My daughter and I love pierogies, but we only made them homemade once and they were gross. We might try your recipe this time. 🙂
These look so yummy and easy to make. Is this a Spanish dish? I’m going to try and make it.
It’s a Polish dish, from Poland. Delicious!
These look beyond delicious. All the necessary food groups in a tasty little pocket….I’m a little in awe of how perfect yours look Patty, but your recipe is easy to follow and I think I might give them a go! 🙂
Not Spanish, more eastern European usually Polish or Ukrainian 🙂
Oh Anya, you know I picked the best ones out for the picture 😉 They are very tasty even if they aren’t picture perfect. Besides, they are supposed to be “rustic” 😉 Oh I love that term! 😉
My granddaughter is a pierogie fanatic. However, I always thought making them was a chore so I never did. Your recipe proves me so wrong – I’;; have to invite her over to give my homemade ones a try.
Oh, these look delicious! I’m going to have to try this recipe! 🙂
Is it really that easy? I can do this and I can’t wait to try these! All the ingredients are so handy too. Have never made them and they’re not something we regularly eat. I do believe these will become a regular dish out our home. I hope to give it try today or tomorrow.
The pictures make hungry.
They look great, tasty and easy..especially the step by step…
and I love the egg yoke trick too, recipe I will try for sure!
The first time I tasted homemade pierogies was at a friend’s house 10 years ago. I’m crafty as well and happen to park myself athe the kitchen table while my friend and her husband create magic. There’s no other taste like that of a fresh made pierogie with butter.
ok this is by far one of my favorite recipes! my children love perogies!! thanks for sharing
Thank you for sharing this great info !!
I got addicted to pierogies when my husband and I lived in Ukraine for a time as missionaries. We could buy them anywhere for almost nothing, and we did! Back home I’ve bought frozen in the stores, but I’ve never tried to make them. Reading this, though, I will. Thanks!!!
My grandma taught me how to make pierogies………but with Farmers Cheese….they are yummmmm m m m m…….she also made them with meat and sometimes certain berries in season……….so good. Old Polish recipe….thanks so much for posting this.
My mom made the best, u can also stuff with cabbage onion bacon hamburg
These look so good, thank you for sharing with us.