Perogies

(re-post)

Prominent cheek bones suggest a Slavic ancestry but I really know I am Polish when I make perogies:  the fingers know just how to fold and crimp the dough around the filling; the mind knows just when to take the dumplings out of the boiling water; the stomach knows just how many hot, fluffy, fragrant, tasty perogies can be eaten immediately  but not spoil supper.

I had not made perogies for months, maybe years.  Then my Ukranian 'sister' in Toronto - that would be you, Olga - told me she was, "of course", making perogies for Christmas, "as usual".

Perhaps it seemed a challenge or a slight criticism or maybe I just remembered how darned good they are, but, whatever the reason, I made a batch of perogies.  I've made more every week or so since.  They freeze beautifully.  They make splendid gifts.  They fry up quickly from the freezer and are an impressive meal for unexpected guests.

I used mashed potatoes, a medium cheddar cheese and coarsely chopped black olives (my Baba and mother likely both raised their eyebrows at the olives) for the filling here.  And while Olga uses an egg and shows off  drops this into the pile of flour   on her counter and mixes! it! there!,  I avoid a disastrous mess  keep it simple and use a bowl into which I put the flour (two cups makes about two dozen perogies) some butter (raked in with a fork),  some yogurt and then enough milk to make an easy easier to roll than the spring-back elastic dough which the addition of an egg seems to produce. 

Here they are plump and glistening just out of the boiling water. 

And here they are at supper having been lightly fried. 

The one at the top is the dessert perogie - it has dried cranberries and brown sugar as a filling.

Posted on February 08, 2008 at 05:00 AM | Permalink

Prominent cheek bones suggest a Slavic ancestry but I really know I am Polish when I make perogies:  the fingers know just how to fold and crimp the dough around the filling; the mind knows just when to take the dumplings out of the boiling water; the stomach knows just how many hot, fluffy, fragrant, tasty perogies can be eaten immediately  but not spoil supper.

I had not made perogies for months, maybe years.  Then my Ukranian 'sister' in Toronto - that would be you, Olga - told me she was, "of course", making perogies for Christmas, "as usual".

Perhaps it seemed a challenge or a slight criticism or maybe I just remembered how darned good they are, but, whatever the reason, I made a batch of perogies.  I've made more every week or so since.  They freeze beautifully.  They make splendid gifts.  They fry up quickly from the freezer and are an impressive meal for unexpected guests.

I used mashed potatoes, a medium cheddar cheese and coarsely chopped black olives (my Baba and mother likely both raised their eyebrows at the olives) for the filling here.  And while Olga uses an egg and shows off  drops this into the pile of flour   on her counter and mixes! it! there!,  I avoid a disastrous mess  keep it simple and use a bowl into which I put the flour (two cups makes about two dozen perogies) some butter (raked in with a fork),  some yogurt and then enough milk to make an easy easier to roll than the spring-back elastic dough which the addition of an egg seems to produce. 

Here they are plump and glistening just out of the boiling water. 

And here they are at supper having been lightly fried. 

The one at the top is the dessert perogie - it has dried cranberries and brown sugar as a filling.