# Pierogi questions



## pacanis (Oct 3, 2011)

I've been reading the pierogi threads and doing a little Googling and can't seem to come across just how many pierogies one gets from the typical recipe that calls for 3c of flour. On All Recipes I see a recipe that says makes 12 servings. That doesn't mean one pierogi apiece for 12 people, does it? Or does it? 
And after you cut the circles, do you knead the leftover dough back together and use it up? 
I suppose I could do a youtube search, I'm pretty sure they probably have several start to finish vids on making pierogies, but I thought I'd ask here first.


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## Andy M. (Oct 3, 2011)

There is probably some variation in number due to how thin you roll the dough.  I would definitely reform and re-roll the holy dough to use it all up.  

Bottom line is it doesn't matter how many you get as long as the number is divisible by 12.

...but I realize you need to know.


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## pacanis (Oct 3, 2011)

I just didn't want to start out and find I'm making 48 pierogies. My lack of "dough knowledge" has me dumbfounded on approximately how many 3" (or so) circles I should expect to get. I'll halve the recipe if I think I'm making too many, but 12 isn't too many... see what I'm saying? I didn't see what they considered a serving of pierogies to be, one, two, three...
And I wasn't sure if kneading the leftover dough again would make it too tough from over-kneading.


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## Andy M. (Oct 3, 2011)

In a situation like this, I'd reduce the recipe by half.  Not sure how thin the dough should be but that
 will be the biggest variable.


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## pacanis (Oct 3, 2011)

Thanks. That's a good starting point.
I want to make it worth my while to make them, but I don't want an over abundance of pierogies either.


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## vitauta (Oct 3, 2011)

what do you use for the filling, pac?  it's almost impossible to "overwork" your dough.  it will be a bit stiffer, is all.


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## pacanis (Oct 3, 2011)

vitauta said:


> what do you use for the filling, pac? it's almost impossible to "overwork" your dough. it will be a bit stiffer, is all.


 
I don't know yet. I've never made them before 
And I've only ever eaten them once, about 30 years ago.
So this should be pretty interesting.

I was having a problem with my french bread loaves before and it seems that I was overworking the dough when shaping the loaf. I thought I might have the same problem here, but maybe not because the dough is being rolled anyway. 
I like to have an answer for anything I might encounter when I actually go to make these.


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## Alix (Oct 3, 2011)

pacanis, do NOT half the recipe. Make the full recipe and just freeze the extra. Make sure you let the dough rest before you try rolling it out. Its pretty springy and your dough will be too thick if you don't let it rest. 

When you do 3c of flour you also need to take into account the size of the individual perogies so its tough to account for how many each person makes. Some people make HUGE perogies and some people make them quite a bit smaller. I make smaller ones because when they plump up they get big and are too filling. 

You can choose how many you want to cook, and then put the rest on a cookie sheet and freeze them raw. Then you have some for the next craving.


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## vitauta (Oct 3, 2011)

pac, here's my pitch for bacon-ham filled pirogies:  you are a bacon lover, no argument there, right?  the bacon fat (and the onions) will leach into the bread part of your pirogi as they bake in the oven--and, oh...my...god!  just saute chopped onion together with diced bacon about halfway. add some lean ham or spam, also diced, heavily pepper the whole thing, and there's your bacon/ham pirogi filling.  this mixture is delicious, pac.  if you don't want to use it for your pirogies then at least try making a small batch for omelets and western egg sandwiches.  you'll thank me later.


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## pacanis (Oct 3, 2011)

Alix said:


> pacanis, do NOT half the recipe. Make the full recipe and just freeze the extra. Make sure you let the dough rest before you try rolling it out. Its pretty springy and your dough will be too thick if you don't let it rest.
> 
> When you do 3c of flour you also need to take into account the size of the individual perogies so its tough to account for how many each person makes. Some people make HUGE perogies and some people make them quite a bit smaller. *I make smaller ones because when they plump up they get big and are too filling. *
> 
> You can choose how many you want to cook, and then put the rest on a cookie sheet and freeze them raw. Then you have some for the next craving.


 
Approximately how many do you get making smaller ones?


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## pacanis (Oct 3, 2011)

vitauta said:


> pac, here's my pitch for bacon-ham filled pirogies: you are a bacon lover, no argument there, right? the bacon fat (and the onions) will leach into the bread part of your pirogi as they bake in the oven--and, oh...my...god! just saute chopped onion together with diced bacon about halfway. add some lean ham or spam, also diced, heavily pepper the whole thing, and there's your bacon/ham pirogi filling. this mixture is delicious, pac. if you don't want to use it for your pirogies then at least try making a small batch for omelets and western egg sandwiches. you'll thank me later.


 
You bake your pierogi? I didn't come across that method. I was going to boil them, then fry in butter and onions to give them some color... I think.
And yes I have bacon and I have ham. I will make some up. Thanks.


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## vitauta (Oct 3, 2011)

yes, mine are bread-based pirogi, and they are so good that they made my top five list of foods i couldn't live without....


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## CharlieD (Oct 3, 2011)

I made 2 cups the other day it was way too much dough. Originally I was afraid I had too much filling, but I end up with extra dough. I did reuse it for something else latter. But I'll teel right away 3 cups is a lot. I would recomend to use only one cup and make few to see how you like the dough recipe, the size you want to make them. Then you also will not need too much filling. ANd the most important, since you said you are not comfortable with dough, this will kind of es you in.
I bet different people call things different. We had a whole thread about the pirogy/vareniki/ whatever.

And if dough is not hndle proparly it will get overworked and they will be very rubbery and chew. Where in fact you want them pretty soft. 
By the way what recipe are you using?


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## Andy M. (Oct 3, 2011)

Another reason to make a reduced recipe is that you don't like the result.  That way you aren't in a position to toss or eat the food you don't like.


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## pacanis (Oct 3, 2011)

CharlieD said:


> ...By the way what recipe are you using?


 
I'm not sure yet. 
I've got a few printed out, but not with me at the moment to post. I was kind of leaning towards one I found on the internet (as opposed to here) that had sour cream in the dough. And I'm pretty sure I'll choose one that uses eggs in it regardless. I'm still in the research phase.


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## pacanis (Oct 3, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> Another reason to make a reduced recipe is that you don't like the result. That way you aren't in a position to toss or eat the food you don't like.


 
Good point.
But I know they are going to come out 



(I hope)


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## CharlieD (Oct 3, 2011)

Why egs? There recipes that are just as good without. My dough is so easy to deal with 
i even let all my kids work witht hat and even though they manage to make them crooked and all, but they stay closed and cook well.


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## pacanis (Oct 3, 2011)

Why eggs? Why not?
There are a lot of recipes out there, some using eggs and some not. I've got to choose one to start with.
There was a thread here a while back about someone not wanting to use eggs and most of the suggestions were to use a substitute, as opposed to omitting altogether. I figured I would use the one with eggs first. Just because.


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## Andy M. (Oct 3, 2011)

pacanis said:


> Why eggs? Why not?
> There are a lot of recipes out there, some using eggs and some not. I've got to choose one to start with.
> There was a thread here a while back about someone not wanting to use eggs and most of the suggestions were to use a substitute, as opposed to omitting altogether. I figured I would use the one with eggs first. Just because.




Man you are really thorough!


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## pacanis (Oct 3, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> Man you are really thorough!


 
Well we are talking FOOD!


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## Alix (Oct 3, 2011)

You just let us know which one you choose. 

As for how many my recipe makes...um...I feed 4 hungry people and there are very few leftovers. Usually there are about 10 leftover, which makes a good lunch for Ken. I don't know a total number.


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## Dawgluver (Oct 3, 2011)

I, too, haven't had a pierogi in around 30 years, will be interested in your results, Pac!


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## inchrisin (Oct 3, 2011)

I just went to Fatheads in Pittsburgh.  I got polish sausage sandwich with kraut and pierogies on it.  HOLY ****! TASTY stuff!

I'd make the potatoes regularly on the side and expect to have some extra.  flavor about as many as you think you need for the pierogies.  The rest can be potato pancakes.


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## pacanis (Oct 4, 2011)

Thanks Alix. 

I will definitely halve the recipe then. I don't mind some leftover for the freezer, but not as many as it sounds that three cups of flour would give me. Plus I don't want to be standing there stuffing pierogi all day, lol.

This is going to be fun. This is totally new to me.
Thanks for all your input.


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## Alix (Oct 4, 2011)

For us, making perogies is an event. We get several of us together and one person takes the dough rolling and cutting duty and the others sit and stuff them. The dough roller is also responsible for filling wine glasses and serving any food necessary.


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## pacanis (Oct 4, 2011)

Alix said:


> For us, making perogies is an event. We get several of us together and one person takes the dough rolling and cutting duty and the others sit and stuff them. *The dough roller is also responsible for filling wine glasses and serving any food necessary*.


 
At what time can I expect your dough roller?


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## CharlieD (Oct 4, 2011)

Alix said:


> You just let us know which one you choose.
> 
> As for how many my recipe makes...um...I feed 4 hungry people and there are very few leftovers. Usually there are about 10 leftover, which makes a good lunch for Ken. I don't know a total number.


 
I think it was last year or maybe year before my mom and I made a thousahd, yes 1 tousand exactly, all meat pirogies (we call them vareniky) for some Russian party, but we did not have any leftovers.


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## CharlieD (Oct 4, 2011)

pacanis said:


> Why eggs? Why not?
> ...


The main reason I asked becasue you were so determend, or at least it sounded that way, to use egg. Like I said I prefer non-egg version and as the matter of fact the russian cooking site I belong to by far thinks "no eggs" in pierogy dough. But, alas, to each it's own.


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## ella/TO (Oct 4, 2011)

I haven't read all the comments....but I buy frozen potato/onion perogies. They are deelish and after boiling them, I fry them with onions....good plain, or with sour cream.


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## pacanis (Oct 4, 2011)

CharlieD said:


> The main reason I asked becasue you were so determend, or at least it sounded that way, to use egg. Like I said I prefer non-egg version and as the matter of fact the russian cooking site I belong to by far thinks "no eggs" in pierogy dough. But, alas, to each it's own.


 
I understand.
It's not so much being determined as it is I have to start somewhere. The easiest thing for me to nail down so far was whether or not to use eggs in my first attempt.
This is the dough recipe I'll be using.
Pierogi (Polish Dumplings) Recipe - Allrecipes.com


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## CWS4322 (Oct 5, 2011)

Pacanis,

My recipe makes about 30 dozen, but each "batch" makes about 5-6 dozen and we usually do 5 batches. This is a "three-friends get together and do this effort." We each get to bring home 10-11 bags of perogies. For the dough, we use 1-500 gr. container sour cream, 1-750 gr. container AP flour (the 750 gr. container is a yogurt container) for each batch. We put the sc in the FP and add the flour. When it forms a ball, turn out on a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 balls. Roll out on lightly floured surface, flouring only on one side. Our cutter is 3". For "cocktail size" we use a 1-1/2". Cut, fill, boil, toss with butter, freeze.
Don't over fill. I'd have to measure the filling the next time I make them, because I have special "scoop" that is perfect for perogies. I also make the filling the day before and shape like a cigar, chill overnight. The cigar shape makes it easier to fill the perogie and always have the floured side on the outside of the perogie so you can pinch it together.
We boil ours one dozen at a time, and toss them with 1 tsp of butter, put in ziplock bags, and freeze flat so the perogies don't stick together. The reason for tossing them in butter is so that they don't stick when you reheat them. To reheat, thaw and fry in butter in a CI for about 4-5 minutes each side, golden, not crisp. I do my onions in a separate pan. 4 are considered a serving if served as a side, 6 if served as a meal.

If I make perogies in November, I'll take photos and measure using "real" tools. If you think making tamales, dolmas, krumkake, or lefse are time consuming, you have to add perogies to that list <g>.


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## Alix (Oct 9, 2011)

pacanis, that looks like a very rich dough. Why the baking powder do you suppose? I think it will roll very smoothly. And I don't think this will require a resting period. Make sure you roll it quite thin as I think it will plump up quite a bit. The baking powder baffles me a bit. Pictures please! 

My dough recipe is so drastically different I don't think they are in the same ballpark! LOL! Mine is basically like a pasta dough. Water, oil, egg and flour. Very stretchy. 

How big is the "bowl" you're using to cut the circles? My squares are usually about 3 inches across so the triangles are little until they cook, then they get BIG!


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## G_Licious (Oct 9, 2011)

1 egg 
1/3 cup buttermilk
about 1-1/2 cups flower

Should get you about 24 -30 pierogi using a 3 inch diameter cutter.
Don't boil them before you freeze them.


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## pacanis (Oct 9, 2011)

Alix said:


> pacanis, that looks like a very rich dough. Why the baking powder do you suppose? I think it will roll very smoothly. And I don't think this will require a resting period. Make sure you roll it quite thin as I think it will plump up quite a bit. The baking powder baffles me a bit. Pictures please!
> 
> My dough recipe is so drastically different I don't think they are in the same ballpark! LOL! Mine is basically like a pasta dough. Water, oil, egg and flour. Very stretchy.
> 
> How big is the "bowl" you're using to cut the circles? My squares are usually about 3 inches across so the triangles are little until they cook, then they get BIG!


 
No rest? Good thing. I made them an hour ago 
I was wondering why you didn't PM me back... 

I went and boiled them all already. I just got the potato water going again. Like was suggested, I halved that recipe in the link I posted. I got eight using about a 3-1/2" circle, re-worked the "scrap" dough and would have gotten five more, but I had a brain fart and didn't dust the marble again before I rolled it out and cut the circles. There was no getting the circles off without a scraper   Oh well. Eight will be good. I tried to roll it out a third time, but it was too glutenous by then.

I thought it would be a good idea to boil them all so the dough didn't do anything funny and rise or something after they were formed. I'm not sure if that's possible, but it seemed like a good idea to boil them. 
I froze half and saved half for tonight. I read two opinions on cooking or not before freezing, so will see what happens cooking first.

Like QSis mentioned in an old thread I had read, I preformed the filling in walnut sized balls. That worked well. And I did this little dough stretch manuever that I saw on youtube as I was folding the dough to close them up. Aside from not liking to work with flour, it was pretty painless


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## pacanis (Oct 9, 2011)

And they look something like this.


If there's anything I would change is to jazz up the potato and onion filling. Maybe add a little kraut to it or something. They were very "dumpling-like" 
Overall though, I'll be making them again. It was pretty easy, even if there was a lot of cleaning up with the flour afterwards


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## PrincessFiona60 (Oct 9, 2011)

Those do look yummy!!!


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## Dawgluver (Oct 9, 2011)

Wow, Pac.  Those look just like I remembered from 20 some years ago. Great job!


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## CWS4322 (Oct 9, 2011)

Good job, pac! If you add 'kraut, you want to make sure it is drained well. Otherwise, the liquid makes the dough mushy.


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## Andy M. (Oct 9, 2011)

I've never had pierogi but those sure look good.


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## pacanis (Oct 10, 2011)

Thanks Guys.
And I'll make sure I give the sauerkraut a good squeeze.
So many possibilities.


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## Alix (Oct 10, 2011)

pacanis, try adding cheese to the mashed potato and onion filling. A nice sharp, old cheese works wonders to perk up the flavor. 

Those look beautiful! And I didn't PM you because I was full on into the Thanksgiving dinner prep and run. (I'm still full!)


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## pacanis (Oct 10, 2011)

Thanks. Will do, Alix. I used an Italian shredded mix I wanted to use up, probably too bland to get any benefit (taste).
I'm going to play around with the mixture more next time. I just sweated the onions, rather than caramelizing like I wanted to, but like I've said before, I try to follow a recipe pretty close the first time and then I know what I want to change for next time.
At least I didn't have to run out for Mrs T's


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## CWS4322 (Oct 10, 2011)

Bacon also adds a lot to the potato-onion-cheese filling. I panfry the bacon first, and then use some of the drippings for the onion. To crush the bacon, I put it between paper towels on a cookie sheet and then use a rolling pin to make bacon bits. I use 2# cheese : 2# bacon to 10# potatoes. This makes enough filling for 30 dozen <g>. Form the filling first and chill it (I usually make the filling the night before). That way, it is firmer and ready. I don't use a press for the pierogies, I form mine by hand.


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## CharlieD (Oct 10, 2011)

awesome job.


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## CharlieD (Oct 10, 2011)

There is no end to pierogy filings. You can literally use anything you can think of.


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## Andy M. (Oct 10, 2011)

CWS4322 said:


> Bacon also adds a lot to the potato-onion-cheese filling. I panfry the bacon first, and then use some of the drippings for the onion. To crush the bacon, I put it between paper towels on a cookie sheet and then use a rolling pin to make bacon bits. I use 2# cheese : 2# bacon to 10# potatoes. This makes enough filling for 30 dozen <g>. Form the filling first and chill it (I usually make the filling the night before). That way, it is firmer and ready. I don't use a press for the pierogies, I form mine by hand.




Bacon!  That sounds like a natural for pierogis.


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## pacanis (Oct 10, 2011)

Thank You Charlie.

I think it was Vit who suggested ham and bacon. That's next. Along with a mushroom and cheese pierogi.


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## blissful (Oct 11, 2011)

Pacanis, they look delicious!

Maybe I missed it......we serve ours differently.
Learned from a cousin from Poland.
After boiling the perogies, put in a pan with butter.
First though, process some bread crumbs, a lot of them, add butter and brown them in the frying pan, once crunchy, push to one side, put more butter on the open side and that is where you put the perogies.
Serve with a scoop of brown crunchy bread crumbs, a scoop of sour cream. It gives you a crunchy, creamy, chewy, rich and comfort food (potato, onion, cheese type).

We've also made them in large quantities, froze them on cookie sheets individually, packed once frozen in zip lock bags, ready to boil.


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## CharlieD (Oct 11, 2011)

Ah, taht is the beauty of pierogy you can do whatever you want with them.


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## pacanis (Oct 11, 2011)

Thanks Bliss.
Toasted bread crumbs, I like that idea.


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## Bolas De Fraile (Oct 12, 2011)

pacanis said:


> And they look something like this.
> View attachment 12189
> 
> If there's anything I would change is to jazz up the potato and onion filling. Maybe add a little kraut to it or something. They were very "dumpling-like"
> Overall though, I'll be making them again. It was pretty easy, even if there was a lot of cleaning up with the flour afterwards


I could eat those now( 06.15 am) Nov 5th bonfire night is the start of the pierogy season here


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## pacanis (Oct 12, 2011)

What is your favorite filling or way to fix them, Bolas?


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## GordonRamsay (Oct 12, 2011)

Morning, I have been making Rogies since I was young, and over the years I have perfected my own recipe. I normally make 400-500 at a sitting, since my kids keep stealing them. However, for a batch of about 100, I use 8 cups of flour, in a 4 cup measuring cup I beat 6 eggs, 4 tbsp of canola oil, and add about a cup of very warm milk, mix again and add to the flour. I add this slowly to the kitchen aid with the dough hook. (here's a hint) the warmer the liquid, the easier it is to roll the dough, it is an awesome recipe and rolls Very Easily.  For the roggie guts I use a mixture of potatoe, velveeta and sharp cheese. I freeze them on cookie sheets then bag them. I hope this helps you.


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## pacanis (Oct 12, 2011)

Thanks for your input, Gordon. Good tip on the warm liquids.


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