This is my second post in my series "Cooking for Kids during COVID-19", but what I really should have called the series is "Cooking WITH Kids" because that's pretty much my goal here. Get those kiddos in the kitchen, teach 'em all about math and other important life skills, and have some fun times together. I pray these are the memories younger kids will bring out of this time...extra time with moms and dads, getting to eat sugary cereal (my kids), and a sense of having pulled together as a family.On a more practical note, I have also found that in my family, with my pickier eater (my daughter), she has always been more eager to eat things if she knows exactly what's in them (i.e. saw the raw ingredients before transformation), and especially if she helped cook it. I hope this works for you, too! I will also apologize that both recipes I have posted are sort of "projects", but please bear with me. I'll post some shorter/easier recipes in the near future. :)
For today, let's dive into this fun project...Polish Pierogies! As you know, every culture has their own version of a "dumpling" of sorts, and I think this is one of the easiest ones to make at home with on-hand ingredients. Plus you add potatoes, sauerkraut, bacon, and caramelized onions?!? Heaven!!!
Don't be deterred by the addition of sauerkraut...first, I include a recipe for "quick" sauerkraut below in the case you don't have any in the cupboard, but you could also use sauteed cabbage or different shredded/sauteed vegetable, shredded cheddar cheese, or nothing extra at all. And the sauerkraut taste is not strong in the finished product, so it shouldn't "offend" the kiddos. Alternatively, there are countless other recipes on the web for various pierogi fillings...mushrooms, meat, even fruit, so you can get creative!
Yield: About 36 pierogies, 6-8 servings
Potato and Sauerkraut Pierogies with Bacon and Caramelized Onions
This traditional Polish specialty is easier to make than you think, and a real family pleaser! Get the kids in the kitchen to help you roll and stuff, then enjoy the delicious fruits of your labor!
Ingredients:
Quick Sauerkraut (double or quadruple this recipe if you want some leftover for hot dog topping or a side dish!)
- 1/4 head green cabbage (about 3/4 lbs), outer leaves removed, cored, and thinly sliced
- 2 Tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 1 tsp coarse salt, like kosher salt
Pierogi Filling
- 1 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 1/2 tsp table salt, plus extra for boiling
- 1 1/4 C sauerkraut, homemade or store-bought, drained and chopped fine
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
Pierogi Dough
- 2 1/2 C (13 3/4 oz) bread flour [OR 12 1/2 oz AP Flour]
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 C sour cream
- 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
- 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp water [for egg wash to seal pierogis]
Bacon and Caramelized Onion Topping
- 1/2 lb bacon, chopped
- 1 large onion, chopped fine
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- [If you prefer to make this recipe vegetarian, omit bacon and use 4 Tbsp butter instead of the bacon and its rendered fat, and add 1/2 tsp salt with onions.]
Instructions:
How to cook Potato and Sauerkraut Pierogies with Bacon and Caramelized Onions
Quick Sauerkraut
- In a small saucepan, combine cabbage, vinegar, salt, and 3/4 C water.
- Cover and cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is tender, about 30-35 minutes. (If bottom of pan starts to brown, add 2 Tbsp water.)
- To store, refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
Filling
- Combine potatoes and 1 Tbsp salt in a large saucepan and cover with water by 1 inch.
- Bring to boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to medium and cook at vigorous simmer until potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain potatoes in colander.
- While still hot, combine potatoes, sauerkraut, butter, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in bowl of stand mixer.
- Fit mixer with paddle and mix on medium speed until potatoes are smooth and all ingredients are fully combined, about 1 minute.
- Transfer filling to a flat dish and refrigerate until fully chilled, about 30 minutes, or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
Dough
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt together in clean bowl of stand mixer. Add sour cream and egg and yolk.
- Fit mixer with dough hook and knead on medium-high speed for 8 minutes, until dough is smooth and elastic.
- Transfer dough to floured bowl, cover with plastic, and refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Assembly
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and dust lightly with flour.
- Roll dough onto a lightly floured counter until about 1/8" thick. (Be sure not to use too much flour as pierogi won't seal otherwise.) IF YOU'RE HAVING TROUBLE ROLLING OUT YOUR DOUGH, let it rest on the countertop for 5-10 minutes, then come back to it. After a good rest, it will be less likely to "bounce back".
- Using a 3" biscuit cutter, cut as many circles as you can from your dough.
- Place 1 Tbsp chilled potato filling into the center of each dough round.
- Using your finger, rub egg wash over half of the circle, then fold dough over the filling to create half-moon shapes and pinch edges firmly to seal. Transfer to prepared sheet.
- Gather dough scraps and re-roll, cutting more circles and repeat filling instructions, until all dough is used.
- Cover pierogi with plastic and refrigerate until ready to cook, up to 3 hours. [Alternatively, pierogis can be frozen at this point in a single layer on a sheet tray. Once frozen, transfer to an airtight container and keep in the freezer for up to a month. Boil from frozen according to instructions below, adding about 2 minutes to boiling time.]
Topping
- Cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crispy.
- Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to drain, leaving 4 Tbsp bacon fat in the pan. (Drain off any extra. If you don't have 4 Tbsp, add butter.)
- Add chopped onion to pan and decrease heat slightly. Cook onion, scraping bottom of pan to release caramelized bits often, until caramelized, about 20 minutes. (If the bottom of your pan starts to turn dark, reduce heat. If you can't scrape up all of the caramelized bits, add just a splash of water which will help to loosen them.)
- Once onions are caramelized, add bacon back to pan and keep warm over low heat.
Cook Pierogi
- Bring 4 qts water to boil in a large pot.
- Add 1 Tbsp salt and half of pierogi to boiling water and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
- Using spider or slotted spoon, remove pierogi from water and transfer to skillet with caramelized onion.
- Return water to a boil and cook remaining pierogi, transferring to skillet once cooked.
- Add 2 Tbsp cooking water to pierogi in skillet, increase heat to medium low, and stir gently, adhering bacon/onion mixture to pierogi. Transfer to platter and serve.
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