Adriana’s Grandma’s Pierogies
Ingredients
For the filling
2 onions, chopped
2 Tbs butter
½ head of garlic, or about 5 or 6 cloves
3 to 4 pounds steak, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 ½ C bread crumbs*
2 eggs*
2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp marjoram
2 to 3 tsp black pepper
2 to 3 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
For the dough
4 C flour
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 C water
Instructions
For the filling
Over medium-low heat, caramelize onions in butter, then run through meat grinder or food processor. Sauté garlic, and run it through meat grinder or food processor. Boil steak until thoroughly cooked, then run through meat grinder or food processor.
Combine onions, garlic and ground steak in a large mixing bowl. Add bread crumbs and eggs, if using. (See notes.) Add spices and mix thoroughly.
Notes: You can extend the meat filling with bread crumbs. To help make the filling a little more sticky and easier to work with, add a couple of eggs. Reserve some of the broth from the boiled steak, and use it to keep the filling moist while you work.
For the dough
Combine all ingredients and knead until firm and well mixed. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for about an hour. Divide dough into two or three sections, rolling out each section separately on a floured work surface with a rolling pin and getting the dough as thin as you can without tearing.
Cut 3-inch rounds with a biscuit cutter or mouth of water glass. Place a small amount, about 1 to 1 ½ teaspoons, of filling on each round, then fold the round over and pinch the edges.
Notes: Dry dough won’t stick. If needed, use a drop of water to help seal the dumplings. You will likely need two to three batches of dough for the amount of filling above. Rolling out the dough with a rolling pin is a lot of work; if you have a pasta attachment for a stand mixer, you can use it to flatten the dough. (Babcia, of course, didn’t do this.)
For Preparing and Serving:
Drop pierogi into large pot of boiling water, taking care not to crowd the pot. Boil, about 5 minutes, until dough is thoroughly cooked. Meantime, brown butter and bread crumbs in a sauté pan. Add pierogi and crisp for about 2 minutes, then serve.