Pierogi

Dough:                
2 cups flour
1 egg
1/2 cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 teaspoons sour cream

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Knead the dough until smooth.  Let the dough rest at least 30 minutes.  Using half of the dough at a time, roll it out to 1/8 inch thickness.  Cut circles with a biscuit cutter or floured glass.  Fill with a golf ball sized hunk of fill, fold in half and pinch to seal them, using a fork, your fingers, or a pierogi press.  Very lightly moistening one edge of the circle with water will help them stay together.  NOT too much or they will get sticky.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and put in a few at a time cooking about 5 minutes or until they float.  Remove with a slotted spoon and place on parchment paper.  To serve; fry in butter or oil until golden and serve.   

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4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 cups sour cream
2 eggs
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons canola oil

In a large bowl, mix the flour with the salt.  In another bowl, whisk the butter, sour cream, eggs, egg yolk and oil.  Stir the wet ingredients into the flour and let stand, covered with a towel, for 30 minutes.  Separate the dough into two balls and roll out on a lightly floured piece of parchment paper until thin.  If you roll them too thin you will know because they will tear.  Cut into circles as above, brush the edge with a little water, put a spoon of filling in the center and fold; pressing the edges together.  Boil as above and fry.  Remember to take them out of the water as soon as they float.  You can freeze them before or after boiling to save for later.  You have to freeze them on a cookie sheet and them you can transfer them to a freezer bag.  My Mom always froze them after boiling so that when you take them out you can defrost and cook  them in butter at the same time.  Use low heat until defrosted them turn up the heat and brown. 

NOTE:  Drop them in the boiling water one at a time so they do not stick together.  

Sweet filling:
32 ounces Ricotta cheese
1 egg
3 tablespoons sugar

Mix well and fill.

Potato filling:
1 sweet onion , chopped
1/2 stick butter
salt and pepper
Potatoes

Cook and mash potatoes.  Sauté onion in the butter until soft and add to the mashed potatoes. Taste and season with salt and pepper and fill. 

Kapusta / Sauerkraut filling:
1 bag fresh sauerkraut or one small head of cabbage
1 onion
butter for frying

Drain and rinse a bag of fresh sauerkraut then pat dry.  Sauté onion in butter and add the sauerkraut and fry until lightly browned.  Cool and fill.  Or fry thinly sliced cabbage in butter with onions.  Cool and fill.

Potato and Cheese filling:

8 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese
onion salt, salt and pepper to taste

Cook, drain and mash the potatoes.  While still warm, add the cheese mixing well,  Taste and season with onion salt, salt and pepper then cool in the refrigerator until ready to use.  

NOTE:  Most filling are easier to use if you make them ahead of time and allow them to cool in the refrigerator.  The filling will them be thicker and easier to use.

My Mother makes cheese perigees with dry curd cottage cheese, which is a little hard to find.  You just mix the dry curd cottage chess with an egg and salt and pepper.  She also makes Leniwe Pierogi (Lazy Pierogi) which I love.

Leniwe Pierogi

2 pounds dry curd cottage cheese
4 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon salt 
2 cups flour

In a bowl mix and mash all the ingredients.  Mix well then roll out thick and cut into diamonds.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil and drop them in one at a time.  They are done when they float.  Remove with a slotted spoon and fry in butter.  Serve, sprinkled with sugar.  I  LOVE them.