# Pierogi Question



## Brandon (Mar 27, 2007)

Hello everyone, I have made these pierogis many times now. My goal is to get the dough as thin as possible. Every time I make the dough, it has too much memory and will not stay streched out. So the pierogis end up being too thick and doughy. Anyone have any ideas on how to fix this? This is the recipe I use: 
5 c flower
1 tb melted butter
1 tb salt
1 pint sour cream
2 whole eggs
1 egg yolk

I just mix all ingredients, divide dough in half and set in a warm, covered bowl for 10 min.


----------



## CharlieD (Mar 27, 2007)

I think you are putting to much fat and too much eggs.

Also read here: http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f21/perogies-19723.html?highlight=Pierogi/


----------



## TATTRAT (Mar 27, 2007)

also, do not over knead/mix the dough, it will work the gluten too much and make things tough and "elasticy"


----------



## Alix (Mar 27, 2007)

And let the dough rest longer. Make sure the eggs are room temp too. That will help.


----------



## QSis (Mar 27, 2007)

KING ARTHUR FLOUR is the first secret that my Polish aunt, Stella, discovered. It's a miracle.

I just use 3 cups of King Arthur, 3T butter, a pinch of salt, and enough warm water until the dough is mixed with your hands and feels right. No egg or anything else. Stella said all that stuff makes the dough tough.

Cut in half and let REST under a towel for at LEAST AN HOUR. Roll out the dough to 1/4 inch. Use a rocks glass to cut dough into circles. Now, ROLL EACH CIRCLE a couple more times, into an oblong. Then fill.

To summarize: King Arthur's flour, rest an hour, roll out each small circle again.





Boiled for a few minutes till they float, then dry on racks.






Browned in butter and topped with fried out salt pork cubes.  Some are filled with cheese, onion, and fried salt pork; some are filled with saurkraut and (rehydrated) dried wild mushrooms. 

Served with wild mushroom borscht. We (well, I'm the only one left who does it now) hunt, pick and dry certain species of mushrooms I find in the woods. The way my Polish relatives have been making these things for generations.

Lee


----------



## Andy M. (Mar 27, 2007)

If the dough shrinks after you stretch it out, just leave it to rest a few minutes linger and it should be fine.


----------



## CharlieD (Mar 28, 2007)

Lee borscht sounds good. I love wild mushrooms. Vareniki/pirogy, or whatever else they called look good. I, personally like small ones, but my wife likes the big ones, like the ones in the picture.


----------



## Caine (Mar 28, 2007)

Why do your Pierogi look like empanada?


----------



## TATTRAT (Mar 28, 2007)

Empanadas are in a pastry and fried though?


----------



## Michael in FtW (Mar 28, 2007)

Caine said:
			
		

> Why do your Pierogi look like empanada?


 
Or is the question really ... why do empanadas look like pierogi?

Let's see ... you make a dough, roll it out, cut it in circles, maybe roll them out some more to get them thinner, put some sort of filling in it, fold the dough over and crimp it, then cook it ... call them empanadas, pierogi or pot stickers ... how different can a similar sized semi-circle of dough filled with a stuffing look?

However - I don't think this contributes anything to helping Brandon find a soultion to the original question/problem.

I have to go with CharlieD's thoughts - the dough is too fat.


----------



## Claire (Mar 31, 2007)

I cheat!  I use won ton wrappers.  Ouch!  I'm sure they aren't as tasty as home-made!  I make a meat-based filling (usually ground dark meat turkey), garlic, onions, chives, etc, but no distinctly ethnic flavorings.  Then I freeze.  I then have them to use as anything from ravioli to pierogi to won tons to mandoo to potstickers to ......... I put the ethnically distinct flavorings in the sauce, soup, dip, etc.


----------



## Cindyser (Oct 28, 2012)

*Flat Pierogi*

My pierogi are nice and fat when I make them but when I boil them they flatten out.  This is the same recipe I've used since handed by my husband's grandmother 40 years ago.  Any suggestions about why this is happening lately?


----------



## Lardeffect (Oct 28, 2012)

Cindyser - maybe you have switched to a flour that contains less gluten? This would make the dough less elastic and not retain its shape while boiling.

Back to the dough - in my opinion it should not contain anything besides flour and water. At least this is how it is done traditionally in the region that I come from.

The recipe is:
2 cups plain white flour
1 cup boiling water

You put the flour into a stand mixer with a hook, then, while mixing, pour in the boiling water. Knead it for 10-15 minutes and let it rest for an hour.


----------



## CWS4322 (Oct 28, 2012)

I use the food processor. I use a 750 ml yogurt container to measure the AP flour. I use a 500 ml of sour cream. Once the dough forms a ball in the FP, I knead the dough for about 2-3 minutes, and then roll it out. Works for me every time. I use 4% fat sour cream and Red Roses AP flour.  I was taught how to make perogies by a woman who lived in SK. I make the filling the night before and shape it into "logs." This friend of mine and another friend used to get together every November and we'd make 144 dozen perogies (about 12 dozen for each of us). We'd start at around 10 in the monring and finish around 3. This was with 10 lb of potatoes, 2 lb of grated cheese, 2-4 HUGE spanish onions, and 2-3 lb of bacon for the filling made the night before. We rotated who had to make the filling. We'd make about 5-6 batches of dough for the filling.


----------



## Snip 13 (Oct 28, 2012)

Claire said:


> I cheat! I use won ton wrappers. Ouch! I'm sure they aren't as tasty as home-made! I make a meat-based filling (usually ground dark meat turkey), garlic, onions, chives, etc, but no distinctly ethnic flavorings. Then I freeze. I then have them to use as anything from ravioli to pierogi to won tons to mandoo to potstickers to ......... I put the ethnically distinct flavorings in the sauce, soup, dip, etc.


 
My sister in law is Polish. She's made pierogies with homemade dough and wonton wrappers. I prefer the wrappers! Her homemade dough is great but the wonton skins are always perfect and much easier. The potato and sour cream filling and sauerkraut pierogies are my favourite. 
Talking about Polish food, wish she would get some Instant Barszcz Czerwony again, love the stuff and we can't buy it here 

Love sour beetroot soup!


----------

