Pierogi with Sauerkraut and Mushrooms

Pierogi

This is pretty good recipe, so please don’t let it be wasted and try to make your own pierogi! It is not quick, you’ll need about 1 hour to prepare them for cooking, plus additional time to cook the sauerkraut, but the filing can be prepared ahead of time. Although lengthy, it is a lot of fun if you make it a group task. Two or three people team works the best. One person is in charge of rolling the dough and cutting rings, and one person, or two people are putting everything together. I always make pierogi with my husband. He rolls, I work on the filling. Also pierogi can be freezed.

For this recipe I prepared sauerkraut and mushroom filling, which is the most popular during Christmas time. However you can stuff pierogi with whatever you want. Ricotta and spinach, meat, farmer’s cheese and potatoes are only some ideas. There is also sweet version of them – pierogi filled with berries! Isn’t that sound delicious? 🙂

Ingredients:

The dough

• 3 cups al-purpose flour
• 1 cup and 1 tablespoon of warm water
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil

The filling

• 1 jar sauerkraut (~28oz)
• 1 onion
•  8oz of white mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 oz. dried mushrooms (optional – if using, soak in hot, boiling water ~30 minutes in advance and preserve the liquid)*
• ~3.5 chicken OR mushroom broth (when not using dry mushrooms)**

*I usually soak 1 oz of dried mushrooms in ~3.5 cups of hot (boiling) water, then use the liquid to cook sauerkraut in it. If this is also how you would like to do it, once mixed with sauerkraut add spices: 3/4 teaspoon salt and 2-3 bay leaves.

**When using chicken OR mushroom broth, especially regular versions,  do not use salt or bay leaves as they tend to be pretty salty. Let the sauerkraut cook for an hour or so, and then taste it. If you think then it could use additional salt , then go for it.

Instructions:

The filling

1. If using, soak dry mushrooms in ~3.5 cups hot water for 20 – 30 minutes.
2. In a medium pot place the sauerkraut and cover with water. Bring to boil.
3. Cook for ~5minutes, drain it and set aside.
4. Chop the onion
5. In a deep skillet or medium pot melt 3 tablespoon of butter and add chopped onion.
6. Cook for ~10 minute on low heat.
7. In the meantime, chop or slice the mushrooms.
8. Add them to the cooking onion, stir well and cook for additional ~10 minutes.
9. Add saurekrout, mix well.
10. Pour reserved water from soaking, if using dried mushrooms, or pour just water to cover the sauerkraut. If more flavor is desired use vegetable, chicken OR  mushroom broth or stock.
11. Cook on low heat until the mixture is tender. About 2 hours.

Pierogi on the skillet.

The dough

1. In a mixing bowl place all ingredients and knead with a hook until the mass comes together and becomes elastic (~10 minutes).

Pierogi

1. Roll the dough until is about 1/8inch thick.
2. Cut circles with cookie cutter (I used 3 inches diameter) OR glass OR whatever will yield nice circles.
3. Place about 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center of each circle.
4. Fold in half to create half circle.
5. Pinch the edges together to close the dumpling.
6. Cook in boiling salted (1/2 teaspoon) water for 3 to 5 minutes.
7. You can serve them cooked with some butter sprinkled on top of them OR once cold you can reheat them on the skillet until gold.

Yield: ~61 pierogi

Nutritional Info (cooked pierogi, serving of 5): Cal 166, Prot 4g, Carb 29g, Fat 4g, Fiber 3g 

Pierogi portion.