Hot Mess Kitchen

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This recipe was inspired by a citizenship party that my husband and I attended for a relative (Shoutout to Abby and Nikita)! They had these there and I LOVED them and decided to try my hand at making them today while my husband works from home and I am technically on spring break!

This was a long process but it was also my first time making them so I’m sure there is a more efficient way to do it!

Ingredients:

Potato Filling

• 4-6 medium sized russet potatoes
• 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 slices of bacon, chopped
• water for boiling the potatoes

Dough/Dumpling

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup water (save from boiling potatoes)

1. Wash, peel, and cut potatoes into evenly sized cubes and place in a pot covering with water.
2. Cover pot with lid and boil until potatoes are tender and slide off when poked with a fork.
3. While potatoes boil, cook up 4 slices of bacon and then chop up into small bits when finished.
4. Once potatoes are tender, set aside 1 cup of potato water and drain the rest using a colander. Return potatoes to pot.
5. Mash the potatoes using a fork, masher, or a large whisk. Add the cheese and bacon and mix well. Your potato mixture should look similar to dough.
6. For the dumpling/dough, whisk eggs together and add to a mixing bowl with the salt and the water.
7. Add flour to mixer bowl and combine. Knead for 7-10 minutes or until you can press the dough in with your thumb and it kinda bounces back from it.
8. Form into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
9. After resting, cut dough into 4 parts. I like to work with one fourth at a time for space reasons.
10. Roll out dough on a floured surface to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. Using a round cookie cutter or cup (I used a custard cup), cut out circles of the dough.
11. Place about a teaspoon of the potato filling in the center of the circle of dough. Dip finger in water and run along outside edge of circle.
12. Fold in half and pinch the edges that meet to make sure they stay closed. I like to create a ripple using my fingers and pinching the edge.
13. After all pierogies are formed, put them in a pot of boiling water. When they float, they are done.
14. After all have been boiled, I like to use my leftover bacon greese or some olive oil to brown them and crisp them up in a frying pan.
15. Store them in the fridge or freeze them and reheat later! Enjoy!