How to make perfect pierogi, Poland’s famous dumplings

Though origin stories vary, the fact remains that pierogi started out as peasant food.

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These Polish dumplings can be filled with cheese, wild mushrooms, fruit or just about anything else you can think of.

This article was produced by National Geographic Traveller (UK).

Pierogi are the quintessential Polish filled dumplings. Origin stories vary, but one theory is they came from the Far East, and they certainly started out as peasant food. There’s even a prayer to Saint Jacek (considered the patron saint of pierogi) to make sure the dumplings are always on the table and stave away hunger. 

1. Dough

The most traditional pierogi dough is made simply with flour, rapeseed oil, a little bit of salt and warm water. Nowadays, every Polish household has its own favourite recipe, and many people use eggs in theirs — an addition thought to have come to Poland from Italy, like many other culinary influences.

2. Kneading

Once the dough has been brought together, it must be kneaded for roughly 7-8 minutes before being covered and rested for about 20-30 minutes. Resting makes the dough more malleable and easier to work with, so you can roll the dough out more thinly, and the pierogi will therefore be more delicate.

3. Filling

The most popular filling is white twaróg cheese, caramelised onion and potatoes. During summer in Poland, sweet, fruit pierogi are a favourite, while the Christmas classic is wild mushroom and sauerkraut. There are meat versions and regional variations, but almost any finely chopped leftovers can make a filling.

4. Cutting and pinching

The rim of a glass is perfect for cutting circles out of your thinly rolled dough. Place a spoonful of filling in the centre of a dough circle and close it into a half-moon shape before pressing along the edges with your thumb and index finger. You can also seal around the edges with a fork or try a decorative pinching technique.

5. Cooking and serving

Traditional pierogi are always boiled first in salted water. Afterwards, you can fry them in some oil or butter until crispy, if you like (I always do). Finally, you can add an ‘okrasa’, meaning a topping — it could be some crispy fried onion or bacon bits. Every pierogi, whether sweet or savoury, goes well with sour cream, too.

Zuza Zak is a food writer and cookbook author. Her book, Pierogi, is published by Quadrille (£18)

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