A Polish friend recently hosted a day of pierogi making. She invited all the foreigners in our International Book Club. It was apparent our hostess was a teacher. Much thought had gone into the traditional Polish recipes we would prepare.
Of course, the iconic pierogi had to be one of our lessons. With so many filling options, we made this authentic ruskie filing for pierogi, Gosia’s favorite Polish pierogi dough recipe, as well as a sweet filling, and cold beet soup.
This was the first time I’ve made the pierogi ruskie, a traditional filling of potatoes and cheese. Many assume that ruskie means this is a Russian filling, but that’s not the case. The dish originates from an area of Ukraine that at one time was part of Poland. It translates to Ruthenian pierogi.
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It would be really difficult to choose, but this may be my favorite. If you’re looking for pierogi filling ideas, this is overwhelmingly popular! You can’t beat the combination of flavors, and the potato filling has enough body that it’s easier to work with. You can make a plump little dumpling and stretch the dough around the potato mixture without it oozing out.
A Swede, two Americans, and our Polish teacher
I’ve compared making pierogi to make tamales back in Arizona. It’s labor intensive and makes more sense when you’ve got a large group of people to work on it – making the dish perfect for extended family gatherings and holiday meals.
For the most authentic pierogi, try making your own Twarog, Polish farmer’s cheese, but if you can’t find it or don’t have time to make your own, this recipe will also be delicious if you use cottage cheese and potato to make your filling. It’s really easy! I hope you and yours have fun making pierogi!
Smacznego!
Lois
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The most popular pierogi ever, with potato and cheese filling!
Ingredients
for filling:
- 6 small potatoes, boiled, peeled, and riced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 3/4 cup diced onion
- 1 1/4 cups twarog (or substitute ricotta or cottage cheese)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- smoked bacon, diced, for garnish
for dough:
- 3 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup boiling water
Instructions
for filling:
- Place riced potatoes into a large bowl
- Sautee onions in butter until light brown
- Lightly toss potatoes, with onion, cheese, and seasonings until combined
for dough:
- Place the flour on a clean work surface
- Add the salt
- Make a well in the top of the flour and add the egg.
- Work the egg into the flour
- Slowly add the water to the flour mixture, mixing it in as you go
- Knead dough until smooth
to assemble:
- Brown bacon and reserve
- Roll the dough out very thin, approx 1/16 inch
- Cut into round circles using a glass or a cookie cutter
- Add a spoonful of the filling to the center of each circle, compacting the filling
- Fold the dough around the filling, sealing the edges, creating a half circle or crescent shape
- When all of the pierogi are filled, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cook the pierogi for use a few minutes
- Serve with butter and bacon
Notes
Optional: my friend added 2 teaspoons of Maggi to her filling and some have suggested that soy sauce is a better substitute.
My other versions of pierogi:
Anonymous
Skip the Maggi seasoning. It is basically just MSG and sweeteners and the pierogi are better without it.
Advice from an old Babcia.
Elie E
100% right about the Maggi and soy sauce. The traditional homemade ruski pierogi recipe never calls for it. However, if it is a question of personal taste, then the variation should be clearly mentioned in the recipe.
polishhousewife
Thanks for the input, Elie! 🙂
Jenn
I second Anonymous, Maggi is bad. Stick to soy sauce – or maybe some bouillion cubes (broth)?
I love pierogi – the ones I’ve had were Russian and they are fried/baked.
Your labor intensive process reminds me of when I attempted dumplings, not too long ago. They were good but not something to do often – takes too long!
Vicki
I love pierogi. This version sounds amazing. It’s so nice that the people are teaching you local cooking.
Elsie Hui
thanks for your review! 🙂 I **LOVE** Perogies! I will try your recipe, as I’m starting a lot of home made stuff now. I made home-made pasta last night! 🙂 Great blog posts you have!! I’ll try to follow in your foot steps! Here’s my blog post at Elsie Hui
Larry A.
The best pierogi I have ever tried were in Warszawa (Poland). I can’t remember where exactly but probably it was in the one of small restaurant in old part of city. great!
zonap
Instead of ricotta cheese, try farmer’s cheese. We have it here in NJ in just about every supermarket (and polish store). Our family uses that when making pierogi.
Ann
Zanap !! What is farmer’s cheese ? Does it have the same consistency ? Is there another name it’s called ?? I live in Arkansas . And not the same as Chicago my native town !!
polishhousewife
Farmer’s cheese is called Twarog in Polish, but some people call it dry cottage cheese. Ricotta is probably close. It’s not difficult to make. You could easily find the ingredients: https://polishhousewife.com/twarog-polish-farmers-cheese/
Valerie
I would use drained small curd cottage cheese bc the ricotta is too mild. I would also add cream cheese and blend. It would make a better tasting consistency. Actually I do add cream cheese to my farmer’s cheese mixture. I also add whole milk nstead of water to make the dough. Yumm
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Why Just Eat
I am so happy to have found this post! I currently buy my pierogi frozen at the store, which is a poor excuse for a pierogi. I am determined to make my own, and your recipe looks to be the best by far. Can’t wait to take on this little project this weekend!
David
When I worked at the New York State Museum, we had an 8-week class entitled “New York Cooks. We featured seven NY State cuisines (Shaker, Native American, Italian, German, Dutch, French Canadian, and Polish). Chefs from each tradition came to the class and talked about their cuisine and, for the 8th class, all the chefs returned and made one dish to share. It was a day-long class and, in addition, we each brought something from our family’s tradition to share. The Polish chef brought pierogi ruski, and so did one woman from class! (Hers were better by far!) I hope to make yours soon!
polishhousewife
Hahaha, I love to hear of the home cook shining!
Stephanie
This is very similar to my husbands grandma’s recipe! The first time I tried making them it took like 6 hours and I cried!! Now I’m down to about 4 and that includes frying which my husband usually does! I’ll have to try your recipe next! However, I do have to say it’s been pretty easy finding farmers cheese here in Michigan!! Maybe it’s more common these days!
★★★★
polishhousewife
It’s a labor of love, that’s for sure!
Jim Kwasnik
I don’t recommend making all those circles ahead as shown on photo above. I highly recommend doing one at a time and things will go much, much easier especially if you have a helper. I help my wife by spooning in the filling as she closes them up.
Cheryl Lynn Knollenberg
These look very good…
My mom and aunties always made a piero gi. With dried cottage cheese and chives as ND sugar. They were boiled and then fried in a large skillet in bacon grease I think. Has anyone ever heard of or made these?
★★★★
Annie Donovaro
Today I made Twaróg (Polish Farmer’s Cheese), using your recipe. Since there are only two of us I didn’t want to make a full batch of Pierogi Ruskie so I made a full batch of the dough… but only half of the recipe for the filling. Then I made some sweet cheese pierogi with the remaining dough and farmer’s cheese. The cheese was the best. The Pierogi Ruskie filling was so flavorful… loved it. Will definitely make all of the above again!
★★★★★
polishhousewife
Sounds fantastic! Thanks for your comments!
Paula Murano
Used to make my pierogi with my grandmother, mother and aunt.
My mother always used four types of cheese in the potato ones. She used farmers cheese, cheddar, cream cheese and parmesan. They really had a wonderful rich flavor. Lots of the home made ones taste like chasta (dough) and mashed potato.
P.S. home made farmers cheese is very, very easy to make. I believe it is milk and vinegar.
JoAnn
My grandma’s recipe was frying the onions in salt pork and adding that to the potatoes and farmers cheese. I added cream cheese, to the mixture, which made the filling even richer!!
I do need to ask, where does Soy Sauce come into play, in an authentic, Polish Pierogi recipe??
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polishhousewife
JoAnn, my Polish friend used Maggi in her filling, soy sauce was her suggested substitute. It might be difficult to find in the US, and a self identified babcia has suggested I leave the Maggi out because it was mainly MSG. So I guess it’s an evolving authentic Polish recipe.
Andrew
Hi, JoAnn!
Great recipe, looks fantastic.
I believe in Russia it is called “varenyky”
Russians make their pierogi in the oven, they are pies.
Miranda
Yumm!! I can’t wait to try this recipe out! Thanks so much for sharing!
Basia
Soy sauce for Pierogi – There is NOT such a thing .Not at all in Polish tradition.
polishhousewife
I get that, Basia. All I can say is my friend, Gosia, liked to add it instead of Maggi.
Bernice cassano
When I made pierogi with my aunt she put about two tablespoons of bisquick in the flour,it made the dough nice and light.
E.B. Siwak
Add not all water to dough, but some milk as well. My grandmothers trick to cut out some of the dough’s springiness.
Also, my grandmother made blanched fresh cabbage (NOT sauerkraut), onion and dry curd cheese in a second type of pierogi. These were more prized in the family than the pedestrian potato ones.
Why did I write? I’m from western PA originally and my name’s Ed. My family on my father’s side is Polish. My mother’s side was Western European. My wife’s family is Japanese-American from Hawaii. Now I’m in Texas, retired, and make not only Polish dishes, but some wicked Tex-Mex dishes as well. Fajitas two nights ago and steak and chicken quesadillas with the leftovers. I’ll probably make Japanese nishime (stew with chicken) this weekend. I have plenty of culinary culture to draw on at this point.
polishhousewife
Thanks for the tips, Ed. Dinner at your place sounds like it’s always good and always exciting!
Claire
Hello! I love this recipe and made the Farmers Cheese and it came out AMAZING! However I noticed the dough recipe is different above than in your cookbook. I’ve used the recipe in the cookbook a few times and have very floury dough that is impossible to roll out to as thin as it needs to be. As I roll it the dough shrinks back on itself which I don’t think is suppose to happen. If I wanted to stick to the flour, water and butter dough do you have any idea what I need to change to make it easier to roll? More water or butter? Thank you!
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polishhousewife
Hi Claire,
I have heard that kneading less and letting the dough rest longer can minimize the shrinking back that pasta dough tends to do.