What is a Pierogi?

  
A pierogi is a boiled dumpling most commonly stuffed with mashed potatoes and cheese.  Varying in location, the pierogi can also be stuffed with meats and various vegetables such as cabbage, sauerkraut, onion, or mushrooms.  Pierogis can be fried as well as boiled.  They are often served with melted butter, sautéed onions, and/or sour cream.

Brief History of the Pierogi

The pierogi is a dish eaten throughout most of Eastern Europe. It is often know as being a Polish dish although it can be found in Hungry, Slovakia, Russia, and the Ukraine. Pierogis are served in various forms, sometimes they are filled with vegetables such as cabbage, cheeses, and meats.

Pierogi Recipe

Ingredients:

• 5-6 potatoes
  
• salt
  
• 5 cups flour
  
• 1/2 butter (melted)
  
• onion & cheez whiz (optional)
  
• sour cream (optional)
  

Directions:

(Potato Filling)

1. Wash, peel, and cut the potatoes.
   
2. In a pot of water with 1 tsp. salt, boil the potatoes until they are done.  (You can also put in some chopped onion to boil with the potatoes.)
   
3. When the potatoes are done, drain well.
   
4. Mash very well and add more salt to taste.  Should be very smooth.  You could also add some cheez whiz as well.
   

(Pierogi Dough)

1. Put flour in a large mixing bowl and d mix with 1 tsp. salt.
   
2. Add 2 cups of hot water with 1/2 cup melted butter and mix with a wooden or plastic spoon.
   
3. Let the dough cool some, you can finish mixing with your hands when its cooled down.
   
4. Let sit for about 10 minutes, covered with a cloth.
   
5. Finish mixing by using your hands and kneading the dough a couple of times.  
   
6. Sprinkle flour on counter that you are going to roll dough out on.
   
7. Roll out the dough until about 1/4 inch thick.  Cut out circles with a diameter of 3 inches.  (I used the rim of a glass cup to cut out circles.)
   
8. Take 1-1 1/2 TB. of potato filling and place in the center of the circle.
   
9. Fold the circle in half and pinch the outer edges closed so that none of the potato is seen or is pinched out.  Do this until you have no more filling.
   

 

(Storing/ Eating)

 

 If you don't want to eat your peirogies right away, you can freeze them and eat another time.  If your not going to store them, then bring a pot of water to a boil and drop the pierogies into the boiling water.  Boil for about 5-10 minutes.  Drain and rinse to prevent pierogies from sticking to each other.  Can be served with melted butter, sour cream, and fried onions.

What is a Cabbage Roll?

A cabbage roll also known as Golabki, is a steamed cabbage leaf that is wrapped around a rice and meat mixture which is then baked with a tomato juice sauce.  The filling is traditionally based around meat, such as beef, pork, or lamb and seasoned with garlic, onion, or spices.  In past centuries Cabbage Rolls, cabbage leaves stuffed with left over food, have been known as a dish for peasants.  Golabki literally means “little pigeons”.  Cabbage Rolls are most common in Eastern Europe such as Sweden and Finland but it can also be found in Croatia and the Ukrainian population of Canada.

Cabbage Roll Recipe

Ingredients:  

• 1 cabbage (small-medium size)
  
• 1 cup raw rice
  
• 3-4 cups tomato juice
  
• 1 lb. ground beef
  
• 1 onion (medium size)
  
• salt
  
• pepper
  
• vegetable oil
  

Directions:

(Cabbage Leaves)

1. Remove the hard core of the cabbage head.  Be careful not to cut yourself.  Once you have removed as much of the core as you can, put the cabbage in to a large pot.  The core end of the cabbage should be facing down.  Fill the pot with about 2 inches of water.  Cover the pot with a lid and let the water boil.  Once the water is boiling, reduce heat to about medium simmer, keeping the pot covered.
   
2. Remove the outer layers of leaves as they begin to wilt. These should be soft enough for you to be able to roll. (I used bacon tongs to peel of the outer layer of the hot cabbage leaves.)
   
3. Keep doing this until all the cabbage head is done.  Make sure that you don't over cook.  Let the leaves cool.  (You can slice off some core from the bottom of the leaf so that it isn't too thick.)
   

(Filling for Cabbage)

1. Cook 1 cup of raw rice in 2 cups of water in a pot until it is about 3/4 done.  
   
2. In a mixing bowl, add 1 Lb. of ground beef and salt & pepper to taste.
   
3. Dice the onion and saute in a pan with vegetable oil.
   
4. Add the onion and rice to the ground beef, mixing well.
   
5. Take 2 TB. of filling and place at the bottom of a cabbage leaf.  Roll once then fold the sides in and keep rolling to the end of the leaf.  Place in the bottom of a roaster or a large casserole dish.  Keep rolling until you have used up all of the filling.
   
6. If there are any leaves left, place them on top of the rolls.
   
7. Pour about 3-4 cups of tomato juice over the rolls or else until they are about 3/4 of the way covered.
   
8. Bake in the oven at 325˙ for about 1 hour 30 minutes.   

What is Nachinka?

Nachinka is a casserole dish made with corn meal.  Its consistency is hard to describe, bordering between quiche and bread pudding.  This dish is commonly eaten as a casserole or as a side dish at festivals, parties, social gatherings, etc.  It is quite easy to make and has a variety of different ingredients.  In some European countries they add bacon pieces or grated chesse.  Nachinka varies from place to place, some adding more sugar and others adding more cornmeal or eggs. 

Nachinka Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1/2 c. butter
  
• 1 small onion
  
• 1 c. corn meal
  
• 1 tsp. sugar
  
• 1 tsp. salt
  
• 1 tsp. baking powder
  
• 1 qt. milk (hot)
  
• 4 eggs
  

Directions:

1. Melt the butter into a large pan (it will need to be able to hold 1 qt. milk).  
   
2. Chop the onion and saute in the melted butter.
   
3. When onion is done, add 1 c. corn meal and mix.  (make sure heat is on low so that corn meal doesn't burn). 
   
4. Add 1 tsp. sugar and 1 tsp. salt.
   
5. Add 1 qt. hot milk (heat the milk in a pot before adding to the corn meal mixture).
   
6. Stir mixture over low heat until it starts to thicken.
   
7. When mixture is thick, remove from heat and add 4 well beaten eggs and 1 tsp. baking powder.
   
8. Mix it all together and pour into a casserole dish.
   
9. Bake at 325˚F for about 1 hour.
   

What is Kartoplyani Plyatsky ?

Kartoplyani Plyatsky is basically a potato pancake.  It is very similar to a hash brown.  It can be served in a variety of ways but it is most commonly served with a type of jam or jelly, apple sauce, pancake syrup, sour cream, or cottage cheese.

Potato Pancakes (Kartoplyani Plyatsky) Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 cups raw grated potato
  
• 1 egg
  
• 2 TB. flour
  
• 1/3 tsp. salt
  
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  
• grated onion (optional)
  

Directions:

1. Wash and peel 1-2 potatoes.  Using a grater, grate 2 cups of potato.  Put into a bowl and drain some of the potato juice out of the bowl. ( Add some grated onion if wished.)
   
2. Add 1 well beaten egg to the grated potato and mix.
   
3. Add the flour, salt, and baking powder to the bowl.
   
4. Mix until everything is incorporated. 
   
5. Drop by spoonfuls onto a well- greased frying pan.
   
6. Brown on both sides (about 5 minutes per side).
   

Serve with a either apple sauce, pancake syrup, sour cream, or cottage cheese. (I ate mine with ketchup).

Bibliography

I'd like to recognize Mary Rauliuk for all of her help and support in creating this project.  All of the recipes used were given by her.  Thank you so much.

Beam, J. "What are Pierogi?." wiseGEEK 2003 Web.23 Apr 2009.

 http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-pierogi.htm

 

"Pierogi History: Eastern European Dumplings of Dough and Filling." Associated Content 25 Apr 2005 Web.23 Apr 2009. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/28107/pierogi_history_eastern_european_dumplings.html?cat=22.

 

2000, Zenobia. "How to make Cabbage Rolls." eHow 2008 Web.5 May 2009. http://www.ehow.com/how_2130230_make-cabbage-rolls.html.

 

Rolek, Barbara. "Polish Stuffed Cabbage Recipe- Golabki." Eastern European Food 2008 Web.19 May 2009. http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/maincourses/r/StuffedCabbage.htm.

 

"Potato Pancakes (Kartoplyani Plyatsky or Mlyntsi)." Ukrainian Heritage Festival 01 Jun 2008 Web.19 May 2009. http://www.brama.com/yonkersukrainianfest/recipe_mlyntsi.html.

 

Mille. "Ukrainian Potato Pancakes." Recipe Zaar 17 Apr 2002 Web.19 May 2009. http://www.recipezaar.com/Ukrainian-Potato-Pancakes-25468.