Homemade Perogi Recipe inspired by my Grandmother

My birthday was just a couple of weeks ago and when Kerry asked what I wanted for dinner than night, I had my heart set on homemade perogies.

As a child this dish was a delicacy that only graced my taste buds on the annual family adventure to my grandparents’ house in Ohio. There was something about it that I just didn’t experience the entire rest of the year… and I think it may have been my first food that I ate in excess. My grandmother Annie could not fry them up fast enough to keep up with the pace I would guzzle them down.

There is a unique flavor to the filling of this perogi that you won’t find on the frozen food aisle… and certainly nothing I could experience in my parents kitchen. When I first asked my grandmother for this recipe she said to use farmers cheese… now that was a number of years ago and I wasn’t nearly as understanding of food as I am now, or the great places to purchase ingredients. As a back up plan she told me to pick up large curd cottage cheese. There is something to the flavor of the curds when they melt, wrapped in pasta and fry it up that is just unstoppable.

When making the individual perogi keep in mind they don’t have to be beautiful. They just have to taste amazing! Kerry and I tend to cook up some kielbasa & onions to go along with the perogi and also try to incorporate something green as well.

Home Made Perogies

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Ingredients

Dough

4 cups Flour (All purpose works well)
4 Eggs
1 cup Water (Plus More if needed)

Filling

2lb Large curd cottage cheese
3 Eggs
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon Garlic powder
1 teaspoon Black Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Onion powder

Frying

8 tablespoons Butter (Unsalted)
8 tablespoons Crisco

Directions

Dough
Step 1
Combine flour, 4 eggs, and water in a mixer with a dough hook. You can also do this by hand on a clean counter or in a large mixing bowl.
Step 2
Mix until it starts to have a doughy texture and becomes slightly elasticy.
Step 3
Powder your hands with some flour, sprinkle some on your counter top and remove the dough from the bowl.
Step 4
Separate the dough into 4 equal parts; Roll into balls of dough
Step 5
Use a pasta machine or rolling pin to roll this dough out. You want the dough to be about 1/8 of an inch thick. Not too thin that the insides break out in the boiling, and not too thick that it over-powers the flavor of the filling.
Step 6
Once the dough is rolled out cut out large circles that will be used as the shell. If you don't have a pasta cutter, use a bowl or plate and trace around its edges with a paring knife.
Filling
Step 7
Take the large curd cottage cheese, place it in a strainer; rinse and and strain. This will wash away all of the liquid leaving just curds. (You can also use farmers cheese in place of the cottage cheese. If you use farmers cheese there is no need to strain it)
Step 8
Combine all of the filling ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Assembly
Step 9
Bring a large pot of water to a boil while assembling the perogi.
Step 10
Spoon enough of the filling mixture to cover half of a circle of dough with some room around the edges to fold and seal the perogi. To help the edges stick brush with a little water. You can use a fork to push the edges down as well. It will look like a half circle when done.
Step 11
Heavily salt the boiling water; dropping perogi in the pot do not overcrowd. Cook for about 5 minutes. If they start popping open from overcooking remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Continue boiling the rest of the perogi.
Step 12
Heat a skillet on medium to medium-high heat. Add 1 Tbs. of butter and crisco. Once melted add a single layer of perogi. Cook until brown (about 5 min) then flip. Cook the other side. Continue adding butter & crisco as you continue to cook off the rest of the perogi.
Step 13
We ate it this time with Asparagus, Sausage & Onions

Homemade Perogies inspired by my Grandmother