Polish pierogi potato cheese (Printable)

Tender dumplings filled with creamy potato and cheese, pan-fried golden, served with sweet caramelized onions.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 large egg
03 - ¾ cup lukewarm water
04 - 2 tablespoons sour cream
05 - 1 teaspoon salt
06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

→ Filling

07 - 1½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
08 - 1 cup farmer's cheese or well-drained ricotta
09 - ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
11 - 1 small onion, finely chopped
12 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ To Serve

13 - 2 large onions, thinly sliced
14 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
15 - Sour cream, for serving
16 - Chives or parsley, chopped (optional)

# How-To:

01 - In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Make a well in the center and add egg, melted butter, sour cream, and water. Stir to combine, then knead on a floured surface for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 30 minutes.
02 - Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 15 to 18 minutes. Drain and mash until smooth. In a skillet, melt butter over medium heat and sauté finely chopped onion until golden, about 5 minutes. Combine mashed potatoes, sautéed onion, farmer's cheese, and cheddar. Season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool.
03 - Roll dough on a floured surface to ⅛ inch thickness. Cut into 3-inch circles. Place one heaping teaspoon of filling in the center of each circle. Fold over and pinch edges firmly to seal. Keep formed dumplings covered with a towel to prevent drying.
04 - Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Cook dumplings in batches; once they float to the surface, cook for 1 to 2 minutes more. Remove with a slotted spoon.
05 - Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add sliced onions and cook slowly, stirring frequently, until deeply golden and sweet, about 20 to 25 minutes.
06 - Using the same skillet, fry boiled dumplings in batches until golden and crisp on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side.
07 - Serve hot topped with caramelized onions, a dollop of sour cream, and chopped chives or parsley if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • They're surprisingly forgiving to make once you get the dough rhythm down, and the reward is restaurant-quality dumplings at home.
  • Boiling then pan-frying creates that impossible texture—tender inside, crispy edges—that no other cooking method achieves.
  • A batch freezes beautifully, so you can pull out a few whenever comfort food calls.
02 -
  • Wet filling ruins everything—if your potatoes or ricotta are weeping liquid, your dumplings will burst open during boiling, so drain and mash carefully.
  • The dough needs to rest; skipping this step makes it elastic and difficult to roll, and no amount of cursing will fix it.
  • Don't skip the caramelizing step just to save time; those golden onions are the flavor difference between good and extraordinary.
03 -
  • Use a fork to crimp the sealed edges rather than just pinching with your fingers—it creates a better seal and looks intentional.
  • The filled dough should be at room temperature before boiling; cold dough will cook unevenly and won't get tender inside before the outside toughens.
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