as small as a world and as large as alone, clatterbane: hold-thy-wicked-tongue: ...

7:21pm October 2, 2013

hold-thy-wicked-tongue:

historia-polski:

“Pierogi are dumplings of unleavened dough – first boiled, then they are baked or fried usually in butter with onions – traditionally stuffed with potato filling, sauerkraut, ground meat, cheese, or fruit. Of central and eastern European provenance, they are usually semicircular, but are rectangular or triangular in some cuisines. Pierogi are similar to the Russian pelmeni or Ukrainian varenyky and are not to be confused with pirozhki (the Russian word for stuffed fried buns) or a pirog (the Russian word for “pie”). Polish pierogi ruskie are similar to the Ukrainian varenyky in version with potatoes and cottage cheese (quark).

Pierogi or vareniki may be stuffed (singularly or in various combinations) with mashed potatoes, fried onions, cheese, cabbage, sauerkraut, meat, mushrooms, spinach, or other ingredients depending on the cook’s personal preferences. The secret to creating the dough is to add some of the potato to the pasta dough. It creates a smooth texture strongly desired by traditionalists. Dessert versions of the dumpling can be stuffed with a fresh fruit filling, such as cherry, strawberry, saskatoon berry, raspberry, blueberry, peach, plum, or apple; stoned prunes are sometimes used as well as jam or sweetened curd. For more flavor, sour cream can be added to the dough mixture, and this also tends to lighten the dough.

Mashed potatoes mixed with farmer’s cheese and fried onions is a popular filling in Poland. These are commonly referred to as ruskie pierogi. A popular filling for pierogi in Canada is mashed potatoes mixed with grated Cheddar cheese. Jewish Kreplach (from Yiddish: קרעפּלעך kreplekh, קרעפל krepl neut. sg.) are filled with ground meat, mashed potato or another filling, usually boiled and served in chicken soup. They are similar to Italian tortellini and Chinese wontons.

The dough, which is made simply by mixing flour and warm water, is rolled flat and then cut into circles using a cup or drinking glass. The filling is placed in the middle and the dough folded over to form a half circle. The pierogi or vareniki are boiled until they float, drained, and sometimes fried or baked in butter before serving. They can be served with melted butter, sour cream, or garnished with small pieces of fried bacon, onions, and also mushrooms. Dessert varieties may be topped with apple sauce. Some families in North America serve them with maple syrup. Another variation of pierogi, popular among Czechs and Slovaks and called pirohy, uses dough made of flour and curd with eggs, salt and water.

Traditionally considered peasant food, they eventually gained popularity and spread throughout all social classes including nobles. Although Pierogi are still an important part of Polish culture and cuisine today, they are very popular in other European countries such as Slovakia, Romania, and Ukraine. Pierogi are the Polish form of a handmade dumpling, made of unleavened dough, usually shaped into a semi-circle. The seams are pressed together to seal the pierogi so that the filling will remain inside when it is cooked. The most common filling is potato which is peeled and then ground or mashed into the consistency of mashed potatoes. There are several variations of fillings depending on where you have pierogi, but some may include: potato and cheese, mushrooms, sauerkraut, meat, potato and sour cream, fruits such as blueberry, or even spinach. Some cookbooks from the 17th century describe how even during that era the Pierogi were considered a staple of the Polish diet, and each holiday had its own special kind of Pierogi created. There were different shapes and fillings for holidays such as Christmas and Easter, and important events like weddings, had their own special type of Pierogi ‘kirniki’ – filled with chicken meat. There were also Pierogi made especially for mourning/wakes, and even some for caroling season in January.

Pierogi are served in a variety of forms and tastes (ranging from sweet to salty to spicy) in Polish cuisine, considered to be the Polish national dish. They are served at many festivals, playing an important role as a cultural dish. At the 2007 Pierogi Festival in Kraków, 30,000 pierogi were consumed daily.

Polish pierogi are often filled with fresh white cheese (curd, pot cheese), boiled and minced potatoes, and fried onions, which is the most popular variety in North America. This type is called in Polish pierogi ruskie, which literally means ‘Ruthenian pierogi’ (not Russian).

Ruskie pierogi are probably the most popular kind of pierogi in North America; a filling is made of mashed potatoes, a white cheese and sauteed diced onion. But it is important to underline that this is not necessarily the most popular in Europe, although very much liked. More popular in Poland are pierogi filled with ground meat, mushrooms and cabbage, or for dessert an assortment of fruits (various berries, with either strawberries or blueberries being most common).

Sweet pierogi are usually served with sour cream, savory pierogi with bacon fat and bacon bits. Poles traditionally serve two types of pierogi for Christmas Eve supper. One kind is filled with sauerkraut and dried mushrooms, another – small uszka filled only with dried wild mushrooms – is served in clear borscht. Leniwe pierogi (lazy pierogi) are a different type of food, similar to lazy vareniki, kopytka, or halušky. Pierogi are probably the only Polish dish that has its own patron saint. ‘Swiety Jacek z pierogami!’, (St. Hyacinth and his pierogi!) is an old expression of surprise, roughly equivalent to the American ‘good grief’ or ‘holy smokes!’. The origin of this expression is unknown.” (source)

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My word, those looks delicious.

And I am reminded again to try making a decent gluten-free dumpling dough. Whenever spoons allow. :/