Savor the Flavor

Pirohy/Pierogi

Dough Ingredients: 4 cups all purpose flour 2 eggs 4 tbsps. vegetable oil or your favorite brand

Instructions: Mix the dough ingredients. Add just enough water to make an evenly blended dough. Knead well and on a floured surface and roll out dough as thinly as possible. Cut in 2 ½ or 3 inch squares or circles. Fill with about 1tbsp. preferred filling and fold dough over and seal tightly. A fork dipped in flour and pressed around edges will help. Fillings/Instructions for fillings: Potato: Peel and cut up in chunks/slices. Boil about 6 minutes until potatoes are fork tender. Drain and mash. Add ¼ cup milk. Blend well. 1 cup Cheese and/or cooked diced onion may be added to this filling. ¼ stick butter may also be added. Sauerkraut: Rinse 1 can or jars sauerkraut, drain thoroughly, squeezing out excess. Heat 2TBS oil in fry pan and sauté ½ cup chopped onion. Add sauerkraut, stir and cook a bit to blend. Add salt and pepper. Cheese Pierogi: You may use dry cottage cheese, ricotta or cheese of your choice. Mix with 1egg yolk, add salt and pepper to taste. Meat Pierogi: Cook 1 lb ground meat, and ½ cup chopped onion. Add your favorite seasonings. Potato Cheese Bacon Bites: Cut dough into 8 large squares. Fill with 1/8 portion of the filling. 2 cups mashed potatoes, ½ shredded cheddar cheese, ½ tsp bacon bits, ½ tsp chopped chives. Bake at 425 degrees on greased cookie sheet for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Quiche pockets: Cut dough into 12 equal pieces. Fill with ½ cup grated cheese of your choice, 1 cup diced ham or browned ground meat, 1 beaten egg, seasonings of choice. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease cookie sheet. Fill perogies and place on sheet. Bake about 20-30 minutes or until brown. Fruit perogies: Can be filled with drier jelly or jams or dried fruit filling. Using chopped dried fruit of choice, per 1 cup fruit add scant 1/4 cup water, combine over low heat and simmer until fruit is soft stirring often. Dried fruit can also be steamed. Add 1-2TBS flour mixed in well if it is too runny. Bake as directed previously. Use about 1-1 ½ tsp for each pierogi. Cooking pierogi options: Sauté with onions Deep fry Boil for 3-4 minutes Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, or until golden Chris is sharing her mother’s authentic Czech recipes. Chris tells us sour cream is a wonderful topping for most perogies. Enjoy!

Eve Hallis, Christine Phillip’s mother, Slovak

Savor The Flavor

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