# Pierogies



## Janniann (Jan 3, 2012)

I have been making my own Pierogies  (sorry Mrs. T) and now my friends want me to make them a batch.  I will need to freeze them ( the pierogies, not my friends  ) and my question is...do I boil then freeze or freeze after forming them ??  Happy New Year !!!


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## Rocklobster (Jan 3, 2012)

I wouldn't boil them. I would just freeze them. I don't think the store bought ones are precooked in any way.  I could be wrong, though.


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## blissful (Jan 3, 2012)

When you make them, before you boil them, set them on a cookie sheet or half sheet pan covered with a piece of waxed paper, lightly dusted in flour and freeze them. Once they are frozen, put a dozen in a zip lock bag and freeze, and use them just like Mrs. T's.


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## Aunt Bea (Jan 3, 2012)

I agree with blissful!

I would only add that you should invite your friends over for a pierogi making party so they can see how it is done.  

Maybe if you teach them you will find a package of homemade pierogies coming your way from time to time!  

For me that would be better than a dozen roses!


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## blissful (Jan 3, 2012)

Making perogies is very time consuming, bending over the table or counter for a very long time if you were to make a few dozen.

Yes, invite your cooking friends over and make them together--it's always more fun that way.


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## Izghoga (Jan 3, 2012)

Thanks to Poles all products of this kind are called as perogies.
Actually perogies it is pies with a stuffing. Baked.


That that you make likely or pelmeni or manti (steam).

In Siberia them traditionally do much for once (very much).
After them blind it expose on a frost. (It is often simple on a balcony)
In your case use a deep-freezer.

When it is required to prepare them.
Will boil water, salt it. Add perogies in boiled water also wait when will cook.
And you know that such smetana (sour cream)?


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## CharlieD (Jan 3, 2012)

Izghoga said:


> Thanks to Poles all products of this kind are called as perogies.
> Actually perogies it is pies with a stuffing. Baked.
> 
> 
> That that you make likely or pelmeni or manti (steam).


 
Or vareniki, or ... the list goees on. Every nation has something simular.

What they called in Russia is irrelevant. Here they are called pierogi, I finally had to give in and start calling them that too. 

But to the original poster the answer is make-freeze-boil. Do not have to defrost either. Just make sure they do not stick together when you freeze them.


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## Izghoga (Jan 3, 2012)




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## CWS4322 (Jan 3, 2012)

Two friends of mine and I typically get together in November and make 30-33 dozen perogies. The "chief" perogie maker has us boil them (1 doz at a time), for a minute, drain, toss in a stainless bowl with 1 tsp of butter, and then package in a zippie, lay them flat (in the zippie) on a cookie sheet, flash freeze. The butter keeps them from sticking and when you thaw them (10 minutes in the microwave on defrost setting), you can pan fry them for about 4-5 minutes (in butter, naturally) on each side on medium to medium high. I usually start sweating the onions when the perogies go in the microwave.


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## CharlieD (Jan 3, 2012)

I think I mentioned that ones already, but my mom and I made 1000 pierogies for a party, and wouldn't you know they were all gone. Took us a little while. I think like 3 days. And we made them all first and froze, and cooked right before the party. I don't think there is a wrong way to do it.


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## Izghoga (Jan 3, 2012)

The wrong way consists in a wrong molding. This is very responsible work. They shouldn't be collapsed at cooking. Any holes and cracksare unacceptably/


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## CWS4322 (Jan 3, 2012)

Izghoga said:


> The wrong way consists in a wrong molding. This is very responsible work. They shouldn't be collapsed at cooking. Any holes and cracksare unacceptably/


There is definitely an "art" to shaping (molding) them. Having an experienced person teach you how to do so helps! I can always tell when a "newbie" has helped -- the shape is "off" <g>.


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## Izghoga (Jan 3, 2012)

Yea. Especially if you do vareniki (with a cherry for example) with Curley edge


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## CharlieD (Jan 3, 2012)

Well, I was talking about freezing them before or after cooking, not shaping them, but who counts, right?


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## chopper (Jan 3, 2012)

Ok...this is something I have never had. I am not sure what goes into them, how they are served, etc. I have seen them in the frozen food section. Which brands are good?  Will my picky eaters like them??


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## CWS4322 (Jan 4, 2012)

chopper said:


> Ok...this is something I have never had. I am not sure what goes into them, how they are served, etc. I have seen them in the frozen food section. Which brands are good?  Will my picky eaters like them??


I don't know about the ones in the frozen food section, but we make either potato-cheese-bacon filling or sauerkraut filling. I don't like the fruit (dessert) ones--I bought those once that were in the frozen food section. The ones we make are wonderful--I like them with fried onions, pork chops/sausage/bacon, sour cream...how much more Scandinavian could I get. They are not one of the foods in my background, but I love making them and eating them, thanks to a friend who lived in SK and MB and learned to make them along the way and has since taught me how to make them. Do your picky eaters like potatoes-cheese-bacon and pasta? If yes, I can't imagine they won't like them. One of the Best of Bridge cookbooks has a perogie casserole dish that is very good.


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## salt and pepper (Jan 4, 2012)

I always freeze them 1st then, boil and fry.


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## Addie (Jan 4, 2012)

salt and pepper said:


> I always freeze them 1st then, boil and fry.


 
We have a very large Polish comunity in Chelsea. One of our local TV stations did a piece on them. They were making perogies for a community festival. All the woman were sitting at a table making them with potato/cheese filliing and then they were frozen to be cooked during the festival the following week. They will float to the top when done. Perogies are the Polish version of the Italian handmade ravioli. Every nationality has their own version and filling.


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## CharlieD (Jan 4, 2012)

The only filling that I nearly hate is potato-cheese kind. Though I love the potato ones, and I love the cheese one. Together somehow the taste robs me in the wrong way.

Most of all I like meat filling. And as far as dessert kind tart cheries.
As to question cabout picky eaters, what's not to like piece of dough with any kind of filling you like.You know like those pizza pockets.


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## ella/TO (Jan 4, 2012)

I've just taken some potato/onion ones out of the storebought bag they came frozen in. Directions tell me to put them into boiling water, stir a bit so they won't stick together and simmer for 6-7 minutes then drain. I sometimes fry them after with green pepper and mushrooms....deelish!!!!


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## chopper (Jan 5, 2012)

CWS4322 said:
			
		

> I don't know about the ones in the frozen food section, but we make either potato-cheese-bacon filling or sauerkraut filling. I don't like the fruit (dessert) ones--I bought those once that were in the frozen food section. The ones we make are wonderful--I like them with fried onions, pork chops/sausage/bacon, sour cream...how much more Scandinavian could I get. They are not one of the foods in my background, but I love making them and eating them, thanks to a friend who lived in SK and MB and learned to make them along the way and has since taught me how to make them. Do your picky eaters like potatoes-cheese-bacon and pasta? If yes, I can't imagine they won't like them. One of the Best of Bridge cookbooks has a perogie casserole dish that is very good.



Thanks CWS. My picky eaters  do like potatoes, cheese, bacon, and pasta. Wouldn't like sauerkraut though.


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## letscook (Jan 6, 2012)

Been making them for a long time 30 yrs approx. also, my father in law was Polish 
We always had a perogie making party,
Mother in law(Irish) would make the filling the day before.
Sister in law would be mixing up many batches of the dough, 
MIL rolling out and cutting the circle, and her I would fill and pinch, 
father in law would man the pots of water and boil, 
my daughter and SIL's 2 girl would set on drying rack, then when dried from boiling water (couple of min). they would single layer in freezer bags, 1 dozen in a bag, and stack flat in freezer.  we made anywhere 1000 - 1500 a year.  It was an al day affair. But we loved it and had perogie whenever we wanted them.  Good  fun family time.  I use to eat the Mrs t all the time till married into the family, now the thought of them ---ewwwww.  Can never go back to them.  Oh  by the way we always made Potatoe and cheese ones. but I also made cabbage filled ones for me and the father in law. 
The inlaws and sister in law, have past now so I carry on the tradition with my family. Nothing better then Kiebasa, homemade perogies ,Kapusta and a good chunk of rye bread


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## Addie (Jan 6, 2012)

letscook said:


> Been making them for a long time 30 yrs approx. also, my father in law was Polish
> We always had a perogie making party,
> Mother in law(Irish) would make the filling the day before.
> Sister in law would be mixing up many batches of the dough,
> ...


 
That's how I have always seen them made. A group of women sitting around a table with their babushkas on their head and a coverall apron, one at the stove, singing Polish folk songs. I had a girlfriend in Chelsea that invited me one time to come and watch. I have seen Italian women doing the same with their babushkas and black dresses covered with the same apron making raviolis for a street festival. The radio would be on playing opera songs in Italian while the women hummed along. It was always a community effort. Who was going to make the gravy was a big major decision. Hands would be flying, voices raised, loud arguments until the men would come in and settle it all. Who ever made it last year couldn't make the gravy this year. Eventually every woman had a turn making the gravy. I had a happy childhood.


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## CWS4322 (Jan 6, 2012)

letscook said:


> Been making them for a long time 30 yrs approx. also, my father in law was Polish
> We always had a perogie making party,
> Mother in law(Irish) would make the filling the day before.
> Sister in law would be mixing up many batches of the dough,
> ...


You described perogie making with others so well. Sorry your inlaws and SIL are no longer there physically, but their presence is always there as you carry on--keep carrying on! My grandma is looking over my shoulder every time I roll lefse.


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## Pierogi Princess (Jan 6, 2012)

Izghoga said:


> Thanks to Poles all products of this kind are called as perogies.
> Actually perogies it is pies with a stuffing. Baked.
> 
> 
> ...



Love the balcony idea.  lol


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## Pierogi Princess (Jan 6, 2012)

CWS4322 said:


> Two friends of mine and I typically get together in November and make 30-33 dozen perogies. The "chief" perogie maker has us boil them (1 doz at a time), for a minute, drain, toss in a stainless bowl with 1 tsp of butter, and then package in a zippie, lay them flat (in the zippie) on a cookie sheet, flash freeze. The butter keeps them from sticking and when you thaw them (10 minutes in the microwave on defrost setting), you can pan fry them for about 4-5 minutes (in butter, naturally) on each side on medium to medium high. I usually start sweating the onions when the perogies go in the microwave.



My family has been doing it this way for 30 years, we have a "Pierogi Party" every November and make about 500 (split between 4 families).  We have always boiled them for about three minutes, and butter them well and place them a dozen at a time on a foam paper plate and then in a zip bag and freeze.  When they are defrosted, they have enough butter on them to simply fry lightly and enjoy!


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## Pierogi Princess (Jan 6, 2012)

letscook said:


> Been making them for a long time 30 yrs approx. also, my father in law was Polish
> We always had a perogie making party,
> Mother in law(Irish) would make the filling the day before.
> Sister in law would be mixing up many batches of the dough,
> ...



AMEN, my family did the same, good memories.  It is easier if they are boiled first, they you just defrost and sautee' and done.  YUM!


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## Bolas De Fraile (Jan 7, 2012)

Izghoga said:


>


Thanks for the photo, are you in it?
Ps merry christmas for yesterday.


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## Pierogi Princess (Jan 7, 2012)

It is a very cool pic, I had to copy it for my collection.  

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Bolas, and thank you for all you taught me in 2011.  I am much better in the kitchen thanks to you.


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## Alix (Jan 7, 2012)

Bolas, Christmas is today. Yesterday was the big feast though. 

Merry Christmas all. Today is definitely pierogi day.


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## Pierogi Princess (Jan 7, 2012)

Sounds like my dinner is going to be pierogi, I have kraut and kielbasa left over from a New Years party, I am done.


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## CharlieD (Jan 9, 2012)

this thread got me hungry, made 3 dosen yeterday. all potatoe, all gone after dinner.


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## Pierogi Princess (Jan 11, 2012)

YUM, sorry to have missed dinner, sounds great!!!


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