Recipe Background
Pittsburgh's pierogi: homemade comfort, evoking freedom, and nostalgic flavors.
I had my first taste of Pittsburgh's pierogi on a brisk autumn afternoon, right after passing my driving test. It was a moment of pure elation mixed with a tinge of nostalgia, as the car keys jingled in my pocket. After celebrating with a joyride through winding roads, I found myself craving something comforting yet exhilarating, much like the drive itself. That's when I remembered my grandmother's kitchen, the aroma of melted butter mingling with the sharpness of cheddar cheese as she prepared her well-loved pierogis for family gatherings.
Heading to the market, I picked up Yukon Gold potatoes, their buttery texture a perfect choice for the filling. I grabbed sharp cheddar, knowing it would provide depth, and onions that, when browned, could rival any caramel creation. At home, dusting my kitchen counter with flour, I worked the dough with intention, recalling how Grandma used to say that a well-kneaded dough was like a satisfied soul—pliable and full of life. Letting the dough rest, I prepped the filling, making sure to cool it entirely for easy handling later.
The key to impeccable pierogi, I’d learned from years of watching those practiced hands, lay in the water—salty like the sea and just below a rolling boil. This would allow the pierogis to float effortlessly once cooked. As I sat at the table, sour cream at the ready, I realized that these pierogis were not just a dish, but a testament to newfound freedom and cherished memories, wrapped up in dough.
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 4 cups premade baking mix
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream plus more, to taste, for serving
- 2/3 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- flour to taste, for dusting a work surface, your hands, and the rolling pin
For the potato/cheese filling:
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and cubed
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter divided, plus more, to taste, for serving
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
- 1 large onion chopped, divided
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
Directions
- Combine the baking mix with the eggs, 1/2 cup of the sour cream, the warm water, and 1 teaspoon of the salt and knead together until it is well-blended, about 5 minutes. You can use your hands or a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment.
- Cover the dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes.
- While the dough rests, cook the potatoes in salted, boiling water until tender, about 15 minutes.
- In a skillet over medium heat, melt the butter.
- Add the onions to the butter and fry until the onions are browned and sweet, about 15-20 minutes. Reserve 1/2 of the onions.
- Drain the potatoes.
- Add the remaining onions and the cheddar cheese to the potatoes, mixing well.
- Season the potato mixture with the salt and the pepper.
- Allow the filling to cool.
- Using the flour, dust a work surface, your hands, and a rolling pin thoroughly.
- Divide the dough into 8 pieces and roll each piece, one at a time, to an 1/8-inch thickness.
- Cut the rolled dough into 3-inch rounds.
- Place a heaping tablespoon of the filling into each of the dough rounds.
- Fold the edges, pressing them together to seal. The dough should be sticky enough to do this on its own, but if not, moisten the edges with water.
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
- Add the pierogis to the boiling water without crowding. Cook until the pierogis are cooked through and begin floating to the top, about 3-4 minutes. Optionally, you can sear the cooked pierogis in a pan for added texture.
- Serve the pierogis with the extra sour cream, the extra butter, and the reserved onions.
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