Homemade Pierogies

Step 1

Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the center, then add the eggs and sour cream. Mix with a spatula until it forms a shaggy dough. Then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for a minute or two, until relatively cohesive, with no visible unmixed areas. Be conscious of not overworking the dough. It's going to look shaggy, and that's okay for now. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to a day in advance.

Step 2

Make the mashed potatoes: Prick the potatoes all over with a fork and place in a microwave-safe dish. Cook for 5 minutes, then flip the potatoes over and cook for another 5 minutes. Check to see if it's fork tender and soft in the middle, and if not, keep cooking in 2 minutes intervals until the potatoes are tender.

Step 3

Peel the skin from the potatoes (or cut each potato in half and scoop the flesh out from the insides), and lightly mash with a fork or masher. It's up to you how smooth you want the texture to be. I don't mind a few chunks here or there, whereas if you want it to be super smooth, you'll want to use a food mill.

Step 4

Make the pierogies: Lightly flour the countertop and turn the chilled dough out. Roll it to 1/8" thickness, making sure it is well-floured along the way. Use a 3" biscuit cutter to cut circles of dough, then fill each one with about 2 teaspoons of the mashed potato filling, crimping well with your fingers to close each one (see blog post for visuals). Place sealed pierogies on a tray as you work.

Step 5

Bring a big pot of water to a boil, and season with salt like you would a pasta water. I usually do about 2 tbsp.

Step 6

Boil the pierogies for 3 minutes, at which point they should be floating on the surface of the water. Drain the pierogies in a colander. Do not leave them in the colander for more than a few minutes, or they will stick to each other.

Step 7

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat and add the butter, scallions, and parsley. Add just enough pierogies to the pan for a single layer, and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Serve promptly and enjoy!