Dough
2 cups flour
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
water to make dough
Filling
1 lb. pressed cottage cheese
1 egg
sugar to taste (optional)
To Make Dough:
In a large mixing bowl, sift flour.
In a smaller mixing bowl, beat eggs, salt and water.
Add egg mixture a little at a time, stirring after each addition.
Mix the dough with your hands, pounding and mashing until it is soft and maleable.
Cover the dough with a damp dishcloth until ready to roll out.
When ready to roll out, roll half the dough at a time, covering the rest.
Roll on lightly floured surface to 1/8 inch thickness.
Use a cookie cutter or edge of a cup to cut out circles of dough which will hold the filling.
Cover the cut-out dough rounds with a slightly damp cloth immediately so they do not dry out. If it is a humid day, you might just use a dry cloth.
To Make Filling:
Mix the cottage cheese, egg (and sugar if desired) in a blender, to a fine paste.
Forming Pierogis:
Using a teaspoon, scoop some filling onto each circle of dough.
Fold over one side of the circle to the other to make a semi-circle with cheese filling inside.
Seal the edges securely using your thumb, index and middle figures. Don't leave any unsealed edges or the contents will come out during boiling. Do this for each pierogi.
Cooking Pierogis:
Fill a large pot 1/3 full of water.
Add 1 tbsp. oil to the water so the pierogi do not stick to one another.
Put the pot on the stove and bring the water to a full boil.
Gently drop a few pierogis, one at a time, into the boiling water.
When the pierogis pop up to the surface of the water, remove them with a slotted spoon and place in a dish while you cook the rest of the pierogis.
Serving Pierogis:
Fry diced back bacon or side bacon and sprinkle over hot pierogi.
Serve with a dish of sour cream to scoop over the pierogi.
Stuffing Variations:
Try making these with fillings of ground beef or pork (see the recipe for Lithuanian Virtinue), or marinated cabbage, or sliced apples tossed with cinnamon and sugar.
Reheating Pierogi:
Fry in melted butter until the outsides are brown and crisp. Serve with cold sour cream.
