Grandma Marie's Pierogies

Grandma Marie and Me 1986

One of the many reasons why I blog....After watching all of my mother's and father's memories slowly disapear, I knew I wanted to try and perserve as many memories that I could (both big and small) through the world of blogging. We can take our memories for granted, yet none of us know just how long they will remain deep within us.  And who know's maybe one day my great great grandchildren will sit back and read a bit of what I've left behind or better yet cook up one of our favorite receipes for their children.  How I would love to have words written by my mother, father or grandparents.  When I found this perogie receipe card in my grandmother's own writing it was a true treasure.  So today I've decided to make one of Charlie's favorite's, again.                                                                                


First of all what is Pierogie's?
•A Polish specialty consisting of half-moon-shaped noodle dumplings filled with a mixture, often of pork, onions, cottage cheese, and seasonings. Served as a first course or side dish. Eveyone has their own favorite mixture they like them stuffed with. Ours is the cottage cheese mixture. The store bought perogie's can't even begin to compare. However they are time consuming but a true labor of love.

Lets Begin with the ingredents:  Makes 2 dozen
2 1/2 cups flour
2 eggs
1tsp salt
1c. water
1 stick of butter

cheese filling: mix together
1 16oz large curd cottage cheese, drained- dry curd if possible put it's hard to find
1 egg yolk/ save egg white for later use
tsp sugar
nugmet 1/4 tsp (opptional)

To make the dough, mix dry ingredients well, add beaten eggs and water. Once dough separates from sides of the bowl, remove and make two balls, lay on flour cover and let rest for 15 minutes.
Roll dough out to approx.  1/8 thickness.  I have a awesome gadget that cuts out the circle of dough then after I've put my t. cheese mixture add egg whites to eggs to allow good seal(this is important so they don't open up while boiling) then the same circle cutter also pinches them shut.  My grandmother use to do all the pinchin closed by hand. They would take hours to make, but when ever she came to visit she made sure we make one BIG batch.  She got such a kick out of how many Charlie could put away!
After all have been filled, you carefully add about 12 at a time to large pot of boiling water. They cook quick, about 4-6 minutes, once they begin to float they are ready to drain.
I melt some butter in a casarole dish to lay them in, while I brown my butter. This is something you must do slowly, if not the butter will burn. The butter will begin to foam up right as it's getting ready to brown, watch closely, light golden brown, then set aside to pour over the Pierogies. They will melt in your mouth.  Step by step pictures to follow.