Tasty Tidbits Thursday: Grandma’s Pierogies

We grew up far away from any family. Once a year we would pile in the station wagon for the annual summer 20-hour trip to see our relatives.

It was such an adventure and so much fun to see our cousins, aunts and uncles and grandparents. We spent many summers running around in the desert heat catching grasshoppers and running through the sprinklers. Eating toasted bologna sandwiches on hot summer afternoons and KFC in the park with all of the extended family under huge shade trees. 

  My grandma S. was a very petite, beautiful redhead. She was always very stylish and loved to wear jewelry and high heels. Once, she came up to visit me at college and my roommate whispered to me “she has on the cutest belt! I want it!”. She also had a great sense of humor and was a wonderful baker.

One of my most vivid memories of my Grandma S. is going over to her brick house and sitting in her kitchen while she made pierogies. I loved the smell of the butter and onions — heavenly!

Each New Years Eve I make them in memory of her.

Here is the recipe if you want to make some this year: Grandma’s Potato Pierogies Ingredients:

• 12 potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons cream cheese, divided
• 3 teaspoons milk, divided
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 1/2 (8 ounce) containers cottage cheese
• salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• oil for frying
• sliced green onions

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool.
2. Meanwhile, prepare dough by combining 1 egg, 1 tablespoon cream cheese, 1 teaspoon milk and 1/2 cup flour. Once all the flour has been worked in, add another 1/2 cup flour, 1 tablespoon cream cheese and 1 teaspoon milk. When the dough is well blended, add 1 egg, 1 tablespoon cream cheese and another 1/2 cup flour; mix well. Finally, add the remaining egg, 1 teaspoon milk and 1/2 cup flour. If dough is too dry, add a little more milk; if too wet, add more flour.
3. On a well floured surface, roll out 1/4 of the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Using a glass, muffin cutter, or any rounded surface, cut out circles of dough. Flour both sides of the circle and set aside in a single layer on wax paper. Repeat process with remaining dough.
4. Mash the potatoes with the cottage cheese, salt and butter. Place a spoonful of the filling slightly below the center of a circle of dough. Fold the dough over and seal edges with fingertips. Use enough filling so that you have to stretch the dough over it, but not so much that it squeezes out when sealed.
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in pierogies, a few at a time. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they float to the top; drain.
6. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry boiled pierogies in butter and onions until crispy.

What family recipes do you like to make?

Have a tasty Thursday! –Jen

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