Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Perogies


This is my Mom's version of Perogies, part of it is a hand-me-down from her Mom and part is all her own. Either way, it's my favourite.

Filling

2 1/2 lbs potatoes
1/2 bag dry cottage cheese (sometimes referred to as farmers' or baking cottage cheese)
dash of salt
feta cheese to taste (don't add too much, just enough to add a bit of kick)

Dough

2 c. flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. cold water
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/8 c. corn oil

Boil potatoes until done. Remove liquid. Chop dry cottage cheese and feta (if using). Add cottage cheese, feta and salt to potatoes. Mash or whip.

While potatoes are boiling prepare dough. Put all ingredients into bowl and beat. Dough should be cold but not too sticky. Let dough rest about 1/2 hour before using.

Pinch off dough (enough to handle easily) roll between hands until the 'rope' is about 1'' thick. Cut 1 - 1 1/2'' sections, roll each of these sections into a circle. Continue this technique until you use all the dough. Place filling in the centre, press to seal edges together to form a half-moon shape. If the dough circles dry out a bit too much before you use them, dip your finger into water and gently wipe on the edge of the half-moon shape.

Bring large pot of water to boil, add about 12 perogies at a time. Once they begin to boil, boil for about 5 minutes. If they boil to hard, they will break apart, so watch for this. Drain. Place cooked perogies into large bowl, drizzle with margarine or butter so they won't stick. Serve with sourcream.

Makes about 50 perogies.

Hints

As you are making the perogies, lightly dust them with flour, then set them down on a table covered with a sheet, cover prepared perogies with tea towels to prevent them from drying out.

If you want to freeze these place them in a single layer on a pan and freeze, placing them in bags after they are solid enough to not stick to each other. You can also place them in bags in a single layer and freeze, but you may have to fight to get them out again. You can either re-heat through boiling, or frying. You cannot fry unboiled perogies. If frying, do not use olive oil, the perogies won't brown.

Variations

Saurkraut or cheddar cheese instead of potato & cottage cheese. For sweet variations: blueberry or strawberry, I think Mom used the pie filling, but I'm not sure.

Some people like perogies with sourcream and bacon bits, my Dad likes them with stewed tomatoes. I'm not sure if that's with the fried or boiled ones, but there you go.

Once in awhile my Mom would make one with something totally different in it and the 3 of us kids would have a competition to find it first. Funny, the things you suddenly remember.

Enjoy,
Myrna

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