Pierogis - the perfect comforting meal for chilly nights

Directions

For the dough:

1. Bring one cup water, 4 tbsp butter, and 2 tsp kosher salt to a boil. Add one cup flour and mix well. Let rest for 5 minutes.

2. Add 1 beaten egg and 1 more cup of flour. Mix and knead by hand. Wrap the dough in seran wrap and rest in for 45 minutes or more.

For the filling:

1. Cook potatoes ahead of time: Place the clean, whole potatoes in a saucepot and submerge them in water and bring to a boil. Add 1 Tbsp salt to the water and reduce to a simmer until they are tender and easily punctured with a fork, about 20 minutes.  

2. While the dough is resting, peel the cooked potatoes and mash them well with butter, cream, salt, pepper and chopped dill. Taste for seasoning. 

3. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough into a ¼” thick sheet. Use a can of soup or beans to cut circles in the dough. Fill each circle with 2 Tbsp of potato filling. Fold them over into half moons and use a fork to seal the edges. Place the sealed pierogies on a sheet tray in the freezer for at least 20 minutes. You can reuse the remaining scraps of dough to roll out more pierogies. I usually end up with one very large oddly shaped pierogi. 

4. While the pierogies are chilling, caramelize two large onions. In a large saute pan over high heat add 4 Tbsp butter and sliced onions. Cook, stirring often until they begin to soften and darken in color. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook until they are caramelized.

5. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 3 Tbsp oil and 1 tsp kosher salt. Boil the pierogies, up to 10 at a time until they float to the surface. You can continue to cook them in the water for 3-5 minutes or transfer them to a hot frying pan and sear them on both sides until they are crisp. Serve with sour cream, caramelized onions and more fresh dill. Enjoy!