Polish pierogi

"Pierogi have many regional variations – in the north, because of the proximity to the Baltic Sea, fish is a common filling, and, in the south, smoked sheep’s cheese is used. But even between households there will be lots of different recipes and variations. Pierożki are simply smaller pierogi – they come in all kinds of shapes and forms but they are often served as a snack, stuffed with a sweet filling or in a broth of wild mushroom or beetroot. The smaller shape makes them easier to serve and eat this way."

"The oldest pierogi dough recipe is very simple – just plain flour, oil, salt and hot water. A lot of babushkas still use this recipe today. Perogi are traditionally half-moon shaped, either boiled with butter and soured cream on top or boiled, then fried, with some crispy fried onions (and sometimes bacon bits). Sweet dumplings can have honey, toasted almonds and soured cream. Nowadays, we are becoming more creative with pierogi and experimenting with various fillings and toppings, often including eggs which enrich the dough and is probably a culinary influence that has come from Italy."

"Poland shares much culinary heritage with Ukraine and pierogi are a big part of this overlap (in Ukraine, they are called vareniki). Pierogi ruskie are the most loved pierogi filling, both in Poland and beyond I think this is because the filling is so adaptable – traditionally it would be curd cheese, potato and caramelised onion. The curd cheese we use in Poland is called twaróg, similar to ricotta but more sour – you’ll find it in every supermarket. This filling is said to have originated in Ukraine and therefore they are called 'ruskie', which means Ruthenian rather than Russian. However, to make things complicated, some say they used to be called 'pierogi polskie' when Poland and Ukraine were a part of the same country. This is something we will never get to the bottom of, yet the filling of caramelised onion, 'twaróg' curd cheese and potato remains the one people cook and put their own spin on the world over, where they adapt the ingredients to what is locally available. In practise, this means varying the cheese, the dough and the pinching technique. I like to make these circular in shape to fit in more of this delicious filling."

What are the different shapes?

There are lots of different shapes to experiment with – half-moon, round, envelope or rectangles are common, or uska (little ears), and the way they are sealed can differ, from crimping with a fork to folding over the edges, pleating or pinching.

Pierogi recipe