Pierogi Ruskie – Potato and Cheese Dumplings

Place the 300 g potatoes in a large pot, cover them with water, and cook until tender, about 45-60 minutes.

To prepare the dough, put the 300 g all-purpose flour into a bowl. Pour in the 160 ml hot water and 3 tablespoons olive oil, then season with 1 pinch salt. Stir with a wooden spoon, then knead by hand for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.

Leave the dough on the work surface and cover it with a bowl. Let it rest for 30 minutes while preparing the filling. Alternatively, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough overnight.

Peel the potatoes while they are still hot and mash them in a bowl as you would for mashed potatoes.

Place a frying pan over medium heat and add the 40 g butter and 1 chopped onion. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the cooked onion to the mashed potatoes. Stir in the 1 tablespoon parsley and 100 g farmer's cheese. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Roll the dough out to a thickness of 2-3 mm. Cut it into circles; the original recipe uses circles measuring 8 cm in diameter.

Place some filling in the center of each dough circle. Fold the dough over the filling to form a pocket and firmly press the edges together with your fingers to seal.

Pour 2 liters of water into a large pot and season it with salt. Once boiling, add about one third of the pierogi, approximately 10 at a time, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Drain and repeat with the remaining pierogi.

For serving, place a frying pan over medium heat and add the 1 tablespoon butter. Once melted, add the 150 g bacon cut into small cubes and cook for 1 minute.

Add the remaining chopped onion and cook over medium heat for another 4 minutes.

Add the drained pierogi to the pan and fry them for about 2-3 minutes. Divide among plates and serve, adding sour cream if desired.