Pierogies with Fixins

Pierogies are college comfort food at its best. Let me tell you a story… See, when I was a kid, I used to get real nervous about drawing princesses. Every time I put one on paper, I had to close my eyes and actively replenish the princess supply. I was scared that one day all the princesses would be gone, used up, and that I’d be left with… nothing. What?! I said I had a story, I didn’t say I had a relevant story…On to our pierogies.

Servings: 12 pierogies – Intermediate

Grocery List:

2 russet potatoes, cubed
2 garlic cloves
1 tsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup grated aged cheddar
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 egg
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
6 sweet gherkins, minced
Canola oil, for deep-frying onions
1 small yellow onion, sliced 1/4″ thick

Gear:

Large pot
Medium mixing bowl
Large mixing bowl
Rolling pin
4″ round cookie cutter
Large cookie sheet
Medium pot
Medium frying pan

POTATO-CHEESE FILLING

Cook the potatoes and garlic in a large pot of boiling salted water until they’re fork tender, about 15 minutes. Strain. In a medium sized bowl, mash together the potatoes and garlic, butter, heavy cream, green onions, cheddar cheese, red wine vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Cover and set aside.

DOUGH

Add the flour to a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Into the well add the egg, milk, and 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt. Using your hands, mix in the fl our until all the liquid is absorbed and the dough sticks together. Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Once the dough has chilled, dust a clean surface with fl our, and roll it out 1/8 inch thick. Using the cookie cutter, cut out 12 circles.

PIEROGIES

On one half of each dough circle place 1 tablespoon of the potato mixture. Fold the other half of the circle over the potato mixture, and use a fork to press and seal the edges together. Lay out the pierogies on a large cookie sheet, and cover with a dish towel. In a medium pot, bring water to a boil, and drop in the pierogies 4 at a time. Boil uncovered for about 10 minutes, until they fl oat to the surface. Strain.

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SHKIAFFING IT TOGETHER

Mix the sour cream with the minced sweet gherkins and set aside. Heat the canola oil in a medium sized pan over medium high heat. Add the yellow onion slices, and fry until they’re dark and crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain. Discard all but 2 tablespoons of the oil, and pan sear the pierogies in it for about 45 seconds per side, until they’re lightly browned. Top the pierogies with the fried onion slivers and serve with the sweet gherkin sour cream.

Excerpted from Nadia G’s Bitchin’ Kitchen: Cookin’ for Trouble by Nadia G Copyright © 2011 by Nadia G. Photographs Copyright © 2011 by Ryan Szulc. Excerpted by permission of Ballantine Books, a division of Random House of Canada Limited. All rights reserved.