Pierogies Recipe

Combine flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.

In a separate small bowl whisk together egg, sour cream and melted butter until smooth.

Pour wet mixture into the flour well and stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms.

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently for 4–6 minutes until smooth and slightly elastic. Do not overwork.

Wrap dough in plastic wrap and let rest at room temperature for 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and makes rolling easier.

Place potato chunks into a large pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Add 1 tablespoon salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook until potatoes are fork-tender, about 15–18 minutes depending on size.

Drain potatoes thoroughly and return to the hot pot. Let steam-dry for 1–2 minutes to remove excess moisture.

Mash potatoes with butter and milk until smooth. Stir in grated cheddar, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and taste; adjust salt if needed. The filling should be creamy but not wet — if too wet, mash in a tablespoon of dry breadcrumbs or chill to firm slightly.

Cool filling to room temperature before filling pierogies (hot filling will make dough sticky).

Divide rested dough into two portions. Keep second portion covered while working with the first to prevent drying.

On a lightly floured surface roll one portion of dough to about 1/8-inch thickness (thin but not paper-thin).

Using a 3-inch round cutter (or a glass), cut circles from the dough and gather scraps, re-roll once and cut more until dough is used.

Place about 1 rounded tablespoon of cooled potato-cheese filling in the center of each circle. Be careful not to overfill to avoid splitting.

Fold dough over filling to form a half-moon and press edges together to seal. Crimp edges with your fingers or use the tines of a fork to ensure a tight seal.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Working in batches, drop pierogies into boiling water (do not overcrowd). When they rise to the surface, cook 1 additional minute, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on a clean towel or rack.

For best texture, pan-fry boiled pierogies: heat 1 tbs vegetable oil (or butter) in a large skillet over medium-high. Add pierogies in a single layer and fry until bottoms are golden and crisp, about 2–3 minutes per side. Add a little extra butter near the end for flavor and crispness.

While pierogies are cooking, heat 3 tbs butter (or oil) in a separate skillet over medium-low heat. Add thinly sliced onions and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until onions are deeply golden and caramelized, about 20–25 minutes. Lower the heat if they begin to brown too quickly.

To serve, arrange pierogies on a platter, top generously with caramelized onions and scatter chopped chives. Serve sour cream on the side for dipping.

Leftover pierogies can be refrigerated up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat to re-crisp. To freeze, arrange uncooked sealed pierogies on a baking sheet in a single layer, freeze until solid, then transfer to a bag; cook from frozen, adding a couple extra minutes to boiling and frying times.