How to make Pierogi, a Christmas Eve must have.

potato

🥗Healthier: sweet potato

💰Cheaper: mashed potato flakes

Sweet potatoes are more nutritious, while mashed potato flakes are budget-friendly.

cheese

🥗Healthier: cottage cheese

💰Cheaper: processed cheese

Cottage cheese is lower in fat and higher in protein.

flour

🥗Healthier: whole wheat flour

💰Cheaper: all-purpose flour

Whole wheat flour offers more nutrients.

Peel and cube 1 kilo of yukon gold potatoes.

Add the potatoes to a pot of water with a big pinch of salt.

Bring the pot to a boil and cook the potatoes until they can be easily mashed with a fork.

Strain the cooked potatoes and pour them onto a cutting board.

Mash the potatoes with a fork or an instrument of your choice.

Grate in 100 grams of sharp cheddar cheese into the mashed potatoes.

Optionally, break in about 1 tablespoon of butter into the mixture.

Mix the filling using a bench scraper until evenly dispersed.

Taste the filling and add salt or pepper if needed.

Store about two-thirds of the filling in a container and chop fresh chives to add to the remaining filling if desired.

Set a container over a bowl and add 110 grams of milk and 2 eggs, mixing them together.

In a large mixing bowl, add 360 grams of all-purpose flour, 7 grams of salt, and 10 grams of oil or butter.

Add the liquid mixture to the flour and mix with a fork until a cohesive dough forms.

Let the dough rest for 10 minutes to relax and hydrate.

Knead the dough in the bowl for 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and tensile.

Check for a gluten window by cutting off a piece of dough and gently stretching it until slightly translucent.

Sprinkle flour over the counter and roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick.

Use a bowl with a 3.5 inch diameter to cut circles from the dough.

Remove excess dough and keep it in the fridge for later use.

Spoon a good amount of potato filling onto the back half of each dough circle.

Gently press down on the filling and fold the dough over to form a half-moon shape.

Pinch the edges to seal the pierogi together without needing water.

Sprinkle flour on a baking sheet and lay the sealed pierogi on it.

Optionally, crimp the edges with a fork for decoration.

Fill a large pot with water and add a couple large pinches of salt, bringing it to a boil.

Set up a station with pierogies, boiling water, and a wire rack with a baking sheet for draining.

Once the water is boiling, gently toss in the pierogi one by one and stir to prevent sticking.

Cook the pierogi until they float, then set a timer for 2 more minutes.

Move the cooked pierogi to the cooling rack and repeat for all pierogies.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens