This Pierogi (Vareniki) recipe is one of my favorite recipes to make when I want to get other people involved in the cooking process. As you probably know, pierogi are delicious filled dumplings popular in Central and Eastern European countries. A traditional pierogi recipe is made by wrapping a savory or sweet filling in unleavened dough. These are generally cooked in boiling water.
To prepare this recipe for pierogi, start by making the potato and cheese filling. Make a dough using water, milk, sour cream, egg and flour. Once the dough is ready, roll out and cut out circles. Place potato filling in the center of each circle and fold into a dumpling shape – get your guests to help as there are lots of dumplings to make! Cook in boiling water and serve with a bacon butter topping.
To make Pierogi, you will need the following ingredients:
Place 2 pounds of peeled potatoes in a pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Continue cooking for about 25 minutes until the potatoes can be pierced with a fork. Drain and cool for 5 minutes before mashing potatoes.
Mash in ½ a teaspoon of salt, 2 tablespoons of melted butter and 2 ounces of cream cheese. Mash in ¾ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. Cover the potato filling partially and set to one side.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 1 cup of warm water, ¼ cup of milk, 2 tablespoons of sour cream, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of salt and whisk until fully blended.
Attach the dough hook to the mixer. Add 2 cups of flour and mix on speed 2 until incorporated. Add the remaining flour ½ cup at a time, letting it incorporate between additions, before adding more. Add the last cup of flour 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough no longer sticks to sides of the bowl. Knead for 10 minutes on speed 2 or by hand.
Chop the dough into 2 pieces. Cover one of the pieces with the mixing bowl. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to just under ⅛ inch thickness.
Use a floured cookie cutter to cut out dough circles. Reuse scraps and ensure all dough is used.
Spoon ½ a tablespoon of potato and cheese filling onto the center of each piece of dough.
Assemble the pierogi by pulling the edges together and pinching them tightly to seal. Use a pinch and twist motion to create a scalloped effect around the edge.
Saute 4 ounces of chopped bacon in a medium skillet. Once the bacon is crisp, add 2 tablespoons of butter and remove the skillet from the heat.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and add the pierogi. You may need to add these in batches. Once the pierogi float to the top, cook for an additional 3-5 minutes until the dough is very tender.
Add the cooked dumpling to a bowl and drizzle between layers with bacon butter. Enjoy!
These Pierogi are a great way to involve others in the kitchen. Your guests will love assembling their dumplings! Try making these soon and don’t forget to tag #CookMeRecipes in your instagram posts!
