Pierogi Ruskie (Polish Potato and Cheese Dumplings)
Local name: Pierogi ruskie
In short: Tender homemade dumplings filled with mashed potato, farmer's cheese and golden fried onion, boiled and served with sour cream, a Polish classic. It takes about 1 h 45 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 1 h 15 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 45 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 505 kcal
Ask Poles to name their favorite food and many will say pierogi, and the filling they mean is often ruskie: mashed potato, fresh curd cheese and fried onion. The name refers to Ruthenia, a historic region in the southeast, not to Russia. The dough is tender and elastic, rolled thin, and the dumplings are boiled, then served with more fried onion or crisped in butter. A big batch freezes well.
Instructions
- Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the egg, oil and hot water and stir until it comes together, then knead on a floured surface for 8 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest for 30 minutes.
- Boil the potatoes in salted water for about 20 minutes, until tender. Drain, steam dry for 2 minutes, then mash until completely smooth. Let them cool.
- Melt the 3 tbsp butter in a pan and cook the onions over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, until golden. Set half aside for serving.
- Mix the cooled potatoes with the farmer's cheese, the other half of the onions, the salt and pepper. Taste and season boldly, because the dough is plain.
- Roll out half the dough on a floured surface until about 2 mm (1/16 in) thin, keeping the rest covered. Cut out circles 7 cm (2 3/4 in) wide with a cutter or glass.
- Put about 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each circle. Fold into a half-moon and pinch the edges firmly closed, pressing out any air. Repeat with the remaining dough, rerolling the scraps.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook the pierogi in batches for 3 to 4 minutes after they float to the surface, then lift out with a slotted spoon.
- Toss the pierogi with the melted butter. Serve topped with the reserved onions and sour cream. For a crisp finish, fry them in butter for 2 minutes per side.
Tips
- Floury potatoes such as russets give a dry, fluffy filling, while waxy ones make it wet and gluey. Let the mash cool fully, or the heat will make the dough sticky.
- To freeze, spread uncooked pierogi on a floured tray until solid, then bag them. Boil from frozen for 6 to 7 minutes.
Questions and answers
Why are they called pierogi ruskie if they are Polish?
Ruskie means Ruthenian, after a historic region in what is now southeast Poland and western Ukraine. It does not mean Russian.
How do I stop pierogi from bursting?
Do not overfill, press out the air and seal the edges well. Cook them in gently boiling water rather than a rolling boil.
Can I make the filling ahead of time?
Yes. The potato and cheese filling keeps for 2 days in the fridge, and cold filling is easier to scoop and seal.
How long does it take to make Pierogi Ruskie (Polish Potato and Cheese Dumplings)?
About 1 h 45 min in total: 1 h 15 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Pierogi Ruskie (Polish Potato and Cheese Dumplings)?
About 505 kcal per serving, with 17 g of protein, 71 g of carbohydrates and 17 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 505 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 17 g |
| Carbohydrates | 71 g |
| Fat | 17 g |
| Fiber | 5 g |
| Sugar | 7 g |
| Sodium | 850 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
