JBK's "Pierogi Makers" Corner

jbk101 · Post by **jbk101** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 17:43

Still make them at least twice a year the old fashion way!

Usually a two or three all day marathon when I do make them.

At Christmas time I make enough to give lots of them to my Children (two sons and daughter) I have consider investing in the Pierogi maker but not crazy about there shape (Not Traditional)

Also some concerns about edges sealing properly and more area where they can burst open during boiling? A different Polish Forum I belong to reported mixed results and from what I can gather it depends a lot on the dough recipe you use. So I am interested in what you think of it once you get it and use it. The Dough Recipe I use was handed down to me by my Mother (who Came from Poland after WW II) and is so simple (4-1/2 lbs. Flour, 1 Quart Luke Warm Water, a Pinch of Salt and 1 egg Yoke and a lot of kneading

)

So please keep us informed?
John

sawhorseray · Post by **sawhorseray** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 18:06

Now I'm sure I've never had the real thing. I checked a recipe site and most all the pierogi recipes are for sauerkraut or cheese filling, as Ross stated. I've only seen beef or sausage pierogi with cheese at the deli. Not one recipe I saw called for frying, just boil till they float, like ravioli. The ones I've had from a deli looked like they were dipped in batter and deep-fried, they just take them out of the deli case and micro-zap them. They come piping hot, a little gooey, nice with mustard, about three times the size of anything I've seen pictured. Go figure. RAY

Post by **Bob K** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 18:13

John -
Thanks I am going to try that one, I still use recipes for things like sauerbraten that were handed down from my German born grandmother...and there is no reason to change.

And wow that canadian bacon looks great!!!

Ross and Fred-

The doughs used are similar in content but not at all the same.

kind of like using one bread recipe to make a different type of bread.

I once tried using left over ravioli dough to make pirogi ...I guess the hogs enjoyed them.

And Ray just like ravioli the fillings will vary....but the dough remains the same

nuynai · Post by **nuynai** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 18:51

What works for us, is this year the Mrs. crimped the edges with a fork. Out of the 300 they made, only had about 5 blowouts or flat tires as I call them. Types we make, prune, farmers cheese, sauerkraut with mushrooms, apple. Her aunt makes them for sale and says potato are the preferred ones with her Russian customers. My Mother In Law used to make them from whatever was in season. Cherries, apple, gooseberries, strawberries, etc.
We serve them with diced sweet onions fried in butter as a topping. I found a recipe with sour cream added to the dough and that's the one the Mrs. prefers the most.
Whatever your preference, they're all good eats.

jbk101 · Post by **jbk101** » Sat Jan 18, 2014 19:19

Sawhorseray : They may be eaten just boiled, but traditionally they are made in advance boiled till they float rubbed with some butter to prevent sticking and then frozen for later quick meals. Then they are pan fried till the dough is slightly browned and the fillings is hot. Then served with sour cream, you can also chop some onions up and sauté them along with the Pierogi's

You also can fill them with just about anything, Some of my Favorites are Sauerkraut, Sauerkraut with Meat, Mushroom, Potato with Cheese, Prunes, Strawberry, Apple, Cheese (Framers Cheese - Dry Curd Type is Best - Almost like a Dry Cottage Cheese) and or Course Kielbasa and Sauerkraut

This is what they look like during boiling

Ready to Eat

Post by **redzed** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 03:12

Hey, that is a real fun thread! Great to know we have so many Pierogi aficionados on the forum. My favorite are sauerkraut and mushroom. I could live on them. And I got my pierogi maker thirty six years ago. Still going strong and in fact improving with age. Will post a pic of her next time the opportunity arises.

jbk101 · Post by **jbk101** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 05:36

I'm more than willing to share my complete recipe - Dough, Fillings, etc. but it will take a couple of days for me to retype it back onto the Computer (The Word Version that I had got deleted when my Computer Crashed

) But I still have a printed out copy so give me a couple of days to retype it and I'll get with Chuckwagon to make sure it's Ok to Post it here.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 18:59

Hey Big John! You bet! Post it right here. How can you have sausage without a bit of pirogi? I don't know about all these other smoke sniffers, but I would love to see the recipe and give them a try. Thanks for sharing pal!

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

DelNorte · Post by **DelNorte** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 19:02

Oh this is my kind of place! Not only have I found a place that is a great resource for smoking and sausages, but I found a Pierogi thread.

Ever since I can remember everyone in the family made them. My great grandmother migrated from Yugoslavia as a teen and I'm sure that's where everyone got this traditional food from. I've only had the potatoe and cheese ones, as well as the lazy Pols version using cottage cheese with minced onion. We always did the boil and fry method. I never could make the ahead of time and freeze them. Too tempting to just go ahead and eat them right away.

I believe I've made pierogi's for 3 years now. Haven't a clue why not. My husband is Uruguayan and when he experienced them it was a throw the head back and groan in delight moment for him. The whole meal!

As soon as we get cool weather again I'm making some.

jbk101 - I noticed you talk about farmer's cheese as an ingredient. It's impossible to get any curd type cheese where I'm at in Uruguay, BUT they do have nice dry ricotta. What's your opinion about using this?... I'd also be tickled pink to see the recipes you have for the various types!

Rick · Post by **Rick** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 19:40

Big John, thank you in advance for the pierogi recipes.

Somehow I thought Chuckwagon was going to say, a nice plate of baked beans and pierogi around the campfire on a starry night! LOL

Rick · Post by **Rick** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 19:41

DelNorte, how about using some cottage cheese? Press it in a cheese cloth and let it drain.

DelNorte · Post by **DelNorte** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 19:58

Rick wrote:DelNorte, how about using some cottage cheese? Press it in a cheese cloth and let it drain.

Rick, cottage cheese does not exist here. I'm sure if I tried describing it to a local they'd give me a super dumbfounded look... I might have to investigate what it takes to make homemade cottage cheese. It probably has some kind of bacteria starter that is equally as hard to find. *sigh* ... Thanks for the suggestion though.

Chuckwagon · Post by **Chuckwagon** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 20:02

... a nice plate of baked beans and pierogi around the campfire... on a starry night! Yeee Hawww!

It doesn't get any better than that.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon

ssorllih · Post by **ssorllih** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 20:38

DelNorte wrote:
Rick wrote:DelNorte, how about using some cottage cheese? Press it in a cheese cloth and let it drain.
Rick, cottage cheese does not exist here. I'm sure if I tried describing it to a local they'd give me a super dumbfounded look... I might have to investigate what it takes to make homemade cottage cheese. It probably has some kind of bacteria starter that is equally as hard to find. *sigh* ... Thanks for the suggestion though.

Mother made it all the time when we lived on the farm. http://www.cheesemaking.com/CottageCheese.html

Krakowska · Post by **Krakowska** » Sun Jan 19, 2014 20:51

DelNorte wrote:Rick, cottage cheese does not exist here. I'm sure if I tried describing it to a local they'd give me a super dumbfounded look... I might have to investigate what it takes to make homemade cottage cheese. It probably has some kind of bacteria starter that is equally as hard to find. *sigh* ... Thanks for the suggestion though.

DelNorte. We made "Farmers cheese" once years ago. We did not have, at the time, a source for it down here in Florida until we went into Tampa.

Here is the recipe we used.
Simple Farm Cheese

Cook Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours, 20 minutes

Yield: about 1 pound

This simple farm cheese can come together quickly. It tastes mild and sweet, and doesn't require rennet, making an excellent cheese for beginners.

Ingredients

1 gallon milk, not ultrapasteurized
1/2 cup white vinegar
2 teaspoons very fine sea salt

Instructions

Line a colander with a double layer of cheesecloth.
Pour the milk into a large, heavy-bottomed kettle, and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Stir it frequently to keep the milk from scorching. When it comes to a boil, immediately reduce the heat to low, and stir in the vinegar. The milk should immediately separate into curds and whey. If it does not separate, add a bit more vinegar one tablespoon at a time until you see the milk solids coagulate into curds swimming within the thin greenish blue whey.
Pour the curds and whey into the lined colander. Rinse them gently with cool water, and sprinkle the curds with salt. Tie up the cheesecloth, and press it a bit with your hands to remove excess whey. Let the cheesecloth hang for 1 to 2 hours, then open it up and chop it coarsely. Store in the fridge for up to a week.

Just a note, You can also use lemon juice instead of vinegar. We used lemon juice because I have lemon trees down here and was not keen of having a cheese with a vinegar flavor to it.

IT IS VERY RICH!!! Superb and store bought could not hold a candle to this homemade stuff. We mixed an egg in a double batch, some fine chopped sweet onion and a little bit of fine chopped parsley. Our pierogi are on the large size and made 12 pierogi out of 1 gallon of milk.
Good Luck, it is very simple. Hope this helps, Fred

Some pics when we made it:
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x60 ... 1/tmgk.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/19/uo4n.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x600q90/34/njwj.jpg
http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/800x60 ... 0/v9ud.jpg