1 Egg
2 tb (heaping) sour cream
1 c Milk
1 c Water
4 1/2 c All-purpose flour; (up to 5)
4 tb Unsalted butter; melted
2 tb Cornmeal
5 lb Baking potatoes*; peeled and
-quartered
1/4 lb Unsalted butter (1 stick);
-melted
2 oz (about 1/2 cup) cheddar
-cheese; grated
4 oz Cream cheese
Coarse salt; to taste
Freshly ground black pepper;
-to taste
* About 10 medium potatoes
1. In a medium bowl whisk the egg. Add the sour cream and whisk until
smooth. Add the milk and water and whisk until combined. Slowly add about 3
cups of flour and stir to combine with a wooden spoon.
2. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface and work in about 1 cup flour
as you knead. Use a plastic scraper to lift the dough as it will stick to
the counter before the flour is worked in to it. Continue kneading for
about 8 to 10 minutes working in another 1/2 cup flour. The dough should be
elastic in texture and no longer sticky. Be careful not to add too much
flour as this will toughen the dough. Place dough in a lightly floured bowl
and cover with plastic wrap and let rest while you prepare the filling.
3. Cook potatoes in salted boiling water until fork-tender. Drain and mash
with a potato masher. Add melted butter and cheeses, and continue to mash
until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place a
large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Lay a clean
linen towel on your counter and evenly distribute cornmeal on it to prevent
sticking.
4. On a floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/8″ thick. Using a glass
or cookie cutter measuring 2 1/2″ diameter cut out as many circles as
possible. Gather scraps together and reroll, and continue cutting.
5. Form filling into 1 1/2″ balls, and place a ball in the center of each
dough circle. Holding a circle in your hand, fold dough over filling and
pinch the edges forming a well-sealed crescent. Transfer to linen towel.
Continue this process until all dough circles are filled.
6. Place pierogi in the boiling water in batches. They will sink to the
bottom of the pot and then rise to the top. Once they rise, let them cook
for about 1 more minute. Meanwhile, drizzle platter with melted butter.
Remove pierogi from pot and transfer to platter to prevent sticking. Serve
immediately.
MAKES ABOUT 60
SOURCES Special thanks to Martha Kostyra. Kielbasa, $3.99 a pound,
available locally only from Kurowycky Meat Products, 124 First Avenue, New
York, NY 10009; 212-477-0344.
COOKING: POTATO PIEROGI WITH MRS. KOSTYRA A family’s rich heritage is often
passed down through generations in the foods they eat and the recipes they
share. Though Martha Stewart’s grandparents came to the United States from
Poland in the early twentieth century, she still enjoys the culinary legacy
they brought with them.
Martha Kostyra joins her daughter, Martha Stewart, to demonstrate how to
make her irresistible homemade pierogi. These delicious crescent-shaped
noodle dumplings are stuffed with a variety of fillings, like potato and
cheese, spiced meat, cabbage, or mushrooms. Sometimes fruit fillings are
used, and the pierogi are sprinkled with sugar. Mrs. Kostyra shows how to
make the dough and a potato filling, and how to seal each dumpling before
cooking them in boiling water. Pierogi bob to the surface of the cooking
water when they’re done.
continued in part 2
Yields
1 Servings