The smell of buttered dough wafts through the kitchen of the modest suburban house. Outside: serenity, the late sun setting slowly under the horizon, sending pink rays of light streaking through the sky. Inside: chaos. Flour everywhere. Imprints of tiny, buttery hands cover every counter, bowl and utensil in sight. Eggs splatter the floor and the walls as two eager little girls fold dough and potatoes together. One giggles, definitely not listening to her grandmother’s instructions as she smushes the ingredients together, trying to make more pierogies than her older sister. The other folds calmly and efficiently, doing everything perfectly and rolling her eyes.
The youngest sister runs about, knocking over dishes in protest against not being allowed in the kitchen. Grandma knows she’d only cause even more chaos.
Mom and Dad linger nearby, occasionally pulling the youngest away in their arms before she can knock the pierogies onto the floor. They sigh, knowing that they will be the ones wiping dinner off of the walls later. Nevertheless, they can’t help but smile at the chaos. Mom watches her girls learn the recipe she learned all those years ago. Dad grins as he tries to position himself to take a picture that hides most of the chaos.
“Over here girls!” He calls. A soft click.
The youngest sister runs about, knocking over dishes in protest against not being allowed in the kitchen. Grandma knows she’d only cause even more chaos.
Mom and Dad linger nearby, occasionally pulling the youngest away in their arms before she can knock the pierogies onto the floor. They sigh, knowing that they will be the ones wiping dinner off of the walls later. Nevertheless, they can’t help but smile at the chaos. Mom watches her girls learn the recipe she learned all those years ago. Dad grins as he tries to position himself to take a picture that hides most of the chaos.
“Over here girls!” He calls. A soft click.
The girls turn back to folding and pinching their pierogies.
“Pinch harder, Lily. Otherwise, they’ll explode when we boil them.”
Lily grumbles at Grandma’s instructions, pinching the dough together firmly and occasionally glancing over at how her grandmother is doing it.
“Even harder. Use your thumbs.”
She huffs, but listens, firmly sealing each pierogi, wanting to impress her grandmother.
As they continue, Grandma mentions something about heritage. She had learned the recipe from her Ukrainian mother-in-law, a recipe passed through the family for generations. But for those two girls, and the third who is now trying to shove a cheese covered potato masher into her mouth, it isn’t about culture. To them, it is about their grandma.
That night, the family gathers for dinner, the pile of pierogies a proud centerpiece to the table. Little dough pockets, steaming and crispy brown on the edges, oozing melted cheese and smooth potatoes when bitten. Smaller than a palm, but so meaningful. Grandma acts impressed as she bites into one of the younger sister’s chewy, overstuffed creations. The night is messy and imperfect. But it will grow into tradition as many more dinners, just like this one, will be enjoyed in the years to come.
Ingredients:
- Yields 4 dozen pierogies
For the dough:
½ cup butter
4 cups all purpose flour (plus extra for sprinkling on a clean work surface)
2 eggs
½ tsp salt
1 cup water
For the filling:
5 large potatoes
2 cups cheese, shredded (or anywhere between ¼ cup to 4 cups depending on personal preference)
½ cup milk
¼ cup butter
For frying:
1 pot of water
½ cup butter
⅛ cup diced onion (optional, for frying)
Materials:
A large mixing bowl
Saran wrap (or something similar that will cover the top of your mixing bowl)
A knife (to cut the potatoes)
A medium pot
A potato masher
A rolling pin
A cup with an opening of about 8 centimeters in diameter
Frying pan
Spoon
Instructions:
1. Place the butter, flour, eggs, salt and water for the dough in a large mixing bowl and knead the dough until all ingredients are uniformly mixed.
1. Place the butter, flour, eggs, salt and water for the dough in a large mixing bowl and knead the dough until all ingredients are uniformly mixed.
2. Leave the dough in the bowl, with the top of the bowl covered (using a hand towel, saran wrap, or similar materials you have available). Leave the dough for half an hour.
3. While your dough sits, cut the potatoes into cubes (about 1-2 inches cubed) and boil them in salted water until very tender (15-20 minutes).
4. Drain the potatoes well and use the potato masher to mash them with cheese, milk and butter for the filling.
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5. After the dough has sat for half an hour, lightly flour a clean work surface. Place half of the dough on the surface, and roll it down to about ¼ centimeter thick. |
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6. Press down on the dough with the cup to create small circles, using up as much of the dough as possible.
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7. Take the circles of dough one at a time and place 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of potato filling in the center of the circle. Fold the dough around the filling and pinch the edges together firmly (make sure no holes remain in the dough, otherwise they will explode). |
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8. Place pinched pierogies to the side. Roll the remaining dough on a floured surface, cutting it into the same circles, filing each one of them with potatoes and pinching the edges together. |
9. Take your pierogies and boil around one and a half dozen at a time for ten minutes (or until they float). You can also freeze your pierogies, and boil them whenever you’d like to serve them.
10. While they boil, melt ¼ cup butter for frying in a pan on medium heat. Add diced onions if desired.
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11. Once your pierogies are done boiling, place them one by one onto the frying pan using a spoon. This means that you will boil and fry your pierogies. |
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12. Fry the pierogies for 15 minutes, flipping occasionally so that they are lightly browned on each side.
13. Continue boiling and frying all of your pierogies until all pierogies have been removed from the frying pan.
14. Serve with sour cream, brown butter with onions/bacon, creamy mushroom sauce, or plain. Enjoy!
