Another submission from Dawn Kiehl-Beals in her Sweet Freedom series. I can't give these a personal endorsement, but Dawn can cook them for me soon....hint, hint....
Whether you spell it pierogi, pierogie or proghi, homemade pierogies are a Pittsburgh tradition and a delicious treat. Although we don’t live in Pittsburgh, we are part of the geographical region dubbed the “Pierogie Pocket”. Pierogies are made of thinly rolled dough filled with a variety of fillings and pressed into a crescent shape. The primary fillings include meat, sauerkraut, mushrooms, and my favorite – potatoes and cheese. Originally from Poland, pierogies arrived in the United States in the early 1900s. During the 1940s they became a staple at church fundraisers in the northeast and upper Midwest. By the early 50s, Americans of all ethnicities were enjoying this tasty dish. According to a recent survey, Pittsburghers now consume 11 times more pierogies than any other city in the United States. The Pittsburgh Pirates even hold a pierogi race during the bottom of the 5th inning at every Pirates home game.
This is an easy dish to translate into a gluten and dairy free version. There are various recipes for the dough but my favorite is one that uses “sour cream”. It adds to the unique combination of flavors and ingredients. If you don’t already enjoy this doughy comfort food, add it to your list to try this winter!
Pittsburgh Pierogies
INGREDIENTS:
4 1/2 cups gluten free flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons dairy free butter replacement, melted
2 cups soy sour cream or dairy free plain yogurt or cashew cream cheese
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
Milk replacement to desired firm consistency
2 Tablespoons dairy free butter replacement or more to taste
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese replacement plus extra shredded cheese to use when assembling pierogies
Onion salt to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a large bowl, stir together the flour and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the dairy free butter replacement, sour cream replacement, eggs, egg yolk and oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour until well blended. Cover the bowl with a towel, and let stand for 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Place potatoes into a pot, and fill with enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain, mash and add milk replacement and dairy free butter replacement to desired taste and firm consistency. Add shredded cheese replacement while still hot. Season with onion salt, salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
3. Separate the pierogie dough into two balls. Roll out one piece at a time on a lightly floured surface until it is thin enough to work with, but not too thin so that it tears. Cut into circles using a cookie cutter, pierogie cutter, or a glass. Brush a little water around the edges of the circles, and spoon some filling into the center. Add additional shredded cheese replacement to filling. Fold the circles over into half-circles, and press to seal the edges. Place pierogies on a cookie sheet, and freeze. Once frozen, transfer to freezer storage bags or containers.
4. To cook pierogies: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop pierogies in one at a time. They are done when they float to the top. Do not boil too long, or they will be soggy! Remove with a slotted spoon.
5. In a medium sized skillet, fry a large sliced onion in a few tablespoons of dairy free butter replacement. Once onions are browned add cooked pierogies until they are slightly browned and crispy around the edges. Serve with sauerkraut and additional sour cream replacement.
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