Basic Russian Vareniki or Pelmeni Dough (Russian Pierogi)
User Reviews
4.9
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Prep Time
2 hrs
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Total Time
2 hrs 10 mins
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Servings
10 +
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Course
Main Course
Basic Russian Vareniki or Pelmeni Dough (Russian Pierogi)
Description
The dough is made by whisking together egg, sour cream, milk, and water, then gradually mixing in flour. Kneading on a floured surface with a scraper develops a tender but workable dough that's rested under a bowl to relax before shaping. The dough circles are rolled thin and about three inches in diameter, suitable for filling varieties from potato with sautéed bacon and onions, to ground meats, to sweet fruits dusted with sugar and served with sour cream.
After filling, these vareniki or pelmeni can be boiled and served with traditional accompaniments such as melted butter, fried onions, or sour cream. The dough is designed to hold fillings securely during cooking while yielding a tender wrapper.
For long-term storage, uncooked pierogies can be frozen individually on a board then transferred to sealed bags, maintaining quality for months.
Ingredients
Ingredients for Dough:
- 1 egg large
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/4 cup milk 2% or whole
- 5 cups all-purpose flour plus about 1 cup more for dusting
For the Filling: (I will post these individually)
- potato
- onion
- Blueberry
- Cherry
- pork ground
- turkey ground
Toppings:
For Potatoe filled vareniki:
- Bacon sautéed for Zazharka, drizzle over vareniki/pierogies
- onion
- butter
For Meat filled pelmeni:
- butter melted; also good dipped in vinegar or ketchup
For fruit filling:
- sugar for dusting and dipping
- sour cream for dusting and dipping
Instructions
- Whisk together egg and sour cream until well combined.
- Whisk in 1 1/4 cup milk and 3/4 cup water.
- Using a spatula, mix in four, 1 cup at a time.
- Place the dough onto a floured surface. Using a food scarper, knead the dough by turning and folding it with the food scraper. Dust the dough with flour as you need it until it is soft and doesn't stick to your hands (you'll need around 1 cup more flour). Knead for 6 to 8 minutes. Don't add too much flour or the dough will become hard to work with.
- Place the dough under a bowl and let it sit at room temperature for about 1 hour.
- Cut the dough into 4 to 6 pieces. Work with one piece at a time and keep the rest covered with plastic wrap.
- Form your chunk of dough into a log and cut off small pieces, one at a time. Pieces should be a little larger than a gumball. Dust your rolling pin and cutting board with flour and roll out a piece of dough until it is 1/8" thick and 3" diameter.
- Fill these circles with the desired filling (potatoes, cherries, blueberries or meat). Fold the dough over the filling to form a crescent and seal the edges tightly with your fingers. If making pelmeni (meat filling), pinch the two edges together to form a "diaper" shape. Place the finished pierogis on a cutting board dusted with flour until ready to boil.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. As you finish the first batch of pierogies, place them in boiling water. After they float to the top, cook about 2 to 3 minutes more, then remove them with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Drizzle the pierogies with melted butter.
- Repeat steps 7 through 9 with the rest of the dough.
Notes
- Freeze uncooked pierogies on a tray uncovered before transferring to a sealed bag; this prevents them from sticking together and allows storage for months.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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