45 min
Cottage Cheese Frittata with Tomatoes & Green Peppers
Creamy cottage cheese disappears into tender eggs while sweet tomatoes and sautéed green pepper make this skillet breakfast colorful, savory and meal-prep friendly.
Vegetarian Dinners
Polish Potato & Cheese Pierogi
Tender handmade pierogi wrap a savory potato, farmer-cheese and onion filling, with reliable dough cues, freezer directions and two finishing options.
Directions
Make the supple dough
Whisk flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add egg, warm water and oil; mix, then knead 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest 30 minutes so rolling requires less force.
Cook and dry the potatoes
Cover potatoes with cold salted water, bring to a boil and simmer 12 to 15 minutes until easily pierced. Drain thoroughly, return to the warm pan for 1 minute and mash smooth.
Build the filling
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium and cook half the onion 8 to 10 minutes until golden. Mix with warm potato, farmer cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cool completely.
Roll and fill
Divide dough in two, keeping one half covered. Roll the other 1/16 inch thick and cut 3-inch rounds. Place 1 tablespoon filling in each, fold into half-moons and firmly pinch out air. Keep finished pierogi covered and repeat.
Boil in batches
Bring a wide pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook 8 to 10 pierogi at a time; once they float, simmer 2 minutes more. Lift with a slotted spoon and coat lightly with 1 tablespoon butter.
Choose the finish
Serve the boiled pierogi as pictured, or melt the remaining butter in a skillet and cook the remaining onion until golden, then sear pierogi 2 minutes per side. Serve sour cream and chives separately.
Why this works
Why it worksDrying the drained potatoes prevents a wet filling that would weaken the dough seams.
Why it worksA full 30-minute dough rest relaxes gluten, allowing thin wrappers without spring-back.
Why it worksCooking at a gentle boil protects sealed edges while the two-minute float time heats the filling through.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
Paid links: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You pay no additional cost.
Compare on AmazonWooden rolling pinA long smooth pin rolls rested dough into an even thin sheet for clean three-inch rounds.See current options →
Compare on Amazon3-inch round cutterA consistent cutter makes wrappers that take the stated tablespoon of filling and seal at the same rate.See current options →
Compare on AmazonSpider strainerA broad wire basket lifts delicate boiled pierogi without piercing their sealed edges.See current options →
Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use ricotta only after draining it overnight and mixing with a little crumbled feta to approximate farmer cheese's dry tang.
- Replace half the onion with finely sliced leek for a sweeter filling.
- Freeze shaped pierogi on a tray, then bag them and boil from frozen, adding 2 to 3 minutes.
Cook notes
- Keep filling cool and wrappers covered; warm filling or dry edges make seals unreliable.
- Do not overfill. A clean 1/4-inch rim is easier to seal than a stretched, floury edge.
- Farmer cheese varies in salt, so taste the cooled filling before adding the final seasoning.
- Total time includes the dough rest and filling cool-down.
Storage
Refrigerate cooked pierogi up to 4 days or freeze uncooked pierogi in a single layer before transferring to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Reheat refrigerated pierogi in a buttered skillet until the filling reaches 165°F.
Questions
Why do my pierogi open in the water?
Trapped air, filling on the rim or dried dough can break the seam. Press out air, keep the edge clean and pinch firmly before boiling.
Can I make the dough without egg?
Yes. Replace the egg with about 3 tablespoons additional warm water, adding it gradually until the dough is supple but not sticky.
Should pierogi be boiled or fried?
They must be boiled to cook the dough. Pan-frying afterward is optional and adds browned edges; the licensed hero image shows the boiled version.
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Polish Potato & Cheese Pierogi
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1. Make the supple doughWhisk flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add egg, warm water and oil; mix, then knead 6 to 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest 30 minutes so rolling requires less force.
2. Cook and dry the potatoesCover potatoes with cold salted water, bring to a boil and simmer 12 to 15 minutes until easily pierced. Drain thoroughly, return to the warm pan for 1 minute and mash smooth.
3. Build the fillingMelt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium and cook half the onion 8 to 10 minutes until golden. Mix with warm potato, farmer cheese, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cool completely.
4. Roll and fillDivide dough in two, keeping one half covered. Roll the other 1/16 inch thick and cut 3-inch rounds. Place 1 tablespoon filling in each, fold into half-moons and firmly pinch out air. Keep finished pierogi covered and repeat.
5. Boil in batchesBring a wide pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook 8 to 10 pierogi at a time; once they float, simmer 2 minutes more. Lift with a slotted spoon and coat lightly with 1 tablespoon butter.
6. Choose the finishServe the boiled pierogi as pictured, or melt the remaining butter in a skillet and cook the remaining onion until golden, then sear pierogi 2 minutes per side. Serve sour cream and chives separately.