Mushroom Pierogi
Photo by Mark Weinberg
MAKES
18 pierogi
TAKES
Prep time: 2 hours (includes chill time)
Cook time: 1 hour
Total: 3 hours
✻ ABOUT THIS RECIPE
Mushrooms make a satisfyingly savory filling for pierogi. My version is loaded with fresh herbs, and I make mine richer by finishing it with some tangy cream cheese and a touch of cream. You can cut the mushrooms by hand, or enlist the help of a food processor to pulse them into a fine mince. If you’re searching for your perfect pierogi - don’t forget the Potato and Sauerkraut recipes on my site as well!
INGREDIENTS
Pierogi Dough
280 g / 2 ⅓ cups all purpose flour
3 g / ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
75 g / ⅓ cup sour cream
56 g / 1 large egg, at room temperature
42 g / 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling
15 g / 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
160 g / ½ large sweet onion, diced
28 g / 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
454 g / 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, minced
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 g / 2 cloves garlic, minced
12 g / ¼ cup fresh chopped parsley
6 g / 2 tablespoons fresh chopped sage
3 g / 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
85 g / 3 ounces cream cheese
80 g / ⅓ cup heavy cream
Finishing
56 g / 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
10-12 fresh sage leaves
freshly ground black pepper, as needed for finishing
sour cream, for serving (optional)
Make This Recipe With Me:
METHOD
1. Make the dough: in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, mix the flour and salt on low speed to combine, about 15 seconds. Add the sour cream, egg, and melted butter, and mix until a shaggy dough forms, about 3 minutes. If the dough seems dry or crumbly, add water 5 g / 1 teaspoon at a time until it comes together. Raise the speed to medium and mix until the dough is fairly smooth, about 2 minutes.
2. Turn the dough out and divide into 2 equal pieces (about 225 g each). Form each one into a disk about 1 inch / 2 ½ cm thick. Wrap both pieces tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (and up to 2 days).
3. Make the filling: in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions, reduce heat to low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until they become translucent, 4-5 minutes.
4. Add the butter to the pan and heat until melted. Add the mushrooms to the pan and cook, stirring frequently, until they release their moisture and begin to soften, 6-8 minutes. Season the mixture with salt and pepper, and continue to cook until the mixture has browned, 8-10 minutes more.
5. Add the garlic, parsley, sage, and thyme and stir to combine. Cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes more. Stir in the cream cheese until melted. Stir in the cream, and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
6. Shape the pierogi: on a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to ⅛ inch / 3 mm thick. Use a 3 ¼ inch / 8 cm round cookie cutter to cut rounds from the dough. (Remove and reserve the scrap dough to re-roll as needed.) You should end up with 18 rounds total after rolling out both pieces of dough.
7. Place about 25 g / 1 heaping tablespoon filling on one side of one round and gently fold the dough over the filling, taking care that there are no air pockets, to make a half-moon. If the dough is at all tacky, you can seal the pierogi without water. If the dough is dry or there is visible flour, use your fingertip to apply a little water to one side of the dough to help seal the edges. Use your fingers to firmly pinch the edges to seal, or press the tines of a small fork against them to help seal the edges.
8. As you work, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and continue until all pieces of dough are filled.
9. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Working in batches, add a few pierogi at a time to the water. They will sink to the bottom briefly, and if you add too many at once, they risk sticking to each other. Cook the pierogi until they float to the surface and the dough is cooked through, 4-5 minutes. Remove the pierogi from the water with a spider or a slotted spoon, draining well, and transfer to a large bowl or platter. Repeat with the remaining pierogi.
10. To finish the pierogi, in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sage and heat, swirling until the butter is lightly browned and the sage is fragrant, 3-4 minutes.
11. Add the drained pierogi and cook, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides. Sprinkle with lots of pepper. Serve immediately with sour cream, if desired.
✻ HAVE YOU BAKED IT?
Tag @emcdowell on Instagram or use #happybaking. I’d love to see your bakes!
