Dumplings are found all over the world in most cultures. This Pierogi dough recipe can be used to make perogies, pirohy, vareniki, or for pelmeni dough. These are all versions of a boiled dumpling served with sour cream. It's a simple dough recipe that hasn't failed me yet.
Eastern European Dumplings
What we call Pierogies or Perogies in English come from the Polish word Pierogi. Vareniki (вареники) are popular in Ukraine and Russia and across the former Soviet Union. Pirohy are popular in Slovakia, and Derelye are enjoyed in Hungary. There are so many dumpling recipes. For the purpose of this blog, I'm calling this a Pierogi dough recipe, or also commonly called Perogy Dough recipe in North America. Pierogis are very popular in Poland when served on Christmas Eve dinner.
Pelmeni Dumplings are another family favorite. They are filled with ground meats and onions. Poland also has a similar recipe call Uszka dumplings. This versatile dumpling dough recipe can be used for any of these recipes.
Pierogi Fillings
Pierogies, called Perogies in Canada, are filled with sweet or savory fillings. Pierogies, Perogies or Vareniki can have a variety of fillings from including (but not limited to);
- Potato onion and Cheddar
- Tvorog (Farmer's Cheese)
- Cabbage (sauerkraut)
- Potato, bacon and onion
- Potato and Tvorog
- Mushroom
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
- Plum
What type of flour to use for Pierogi Dough?
For this specific recipe, as photographed, I used a 00 Flour. This is an Italian milled flour that's purpose made for pasta. But I don't always use 00 Flour, as it's usually expensive. Most of the time, I use an Australian All-Purpose Flour (which is similar to Canadian flour). Some people swear that Canadian flour works best as it has higher gluten content, when compared to All-Purpose American Flour. Did you know that flour could be so complicated? 🤣
Easy Pierogi Dough
This is a pretty classic pierogi dough recipe. Made without any additions like sour cream, boiling water or tons of butter into the dough. Some recipes even use less ingredients without any oil or eggs, but I don't recommend it. In the old country, when times were tough, they used what they had. Sometimes ingredients were scarce.
It's an easy to make a dumpling dough recipe, as it's very forgiving. If the dough is too wet, then add a bit more flour. If it's too hard and then add a bit more water. Allowing the dough to rest will soften it to the perfect consistency. Plan ahead to allow the dough to rest for 1 hour. This ensures your dough will be perfectly soft and pliable. And I don't usually use Olive Oil, but a regular vegetable oil. When I was making this recipe, we only had Olive Oil in the house. I find that sunflower oil is neutral and doesn't leave a strong taste. In a pinch, EVOO does work, but not preferable.
Can I Freeze Pierogi Dough?
Yes! This dough is easy and versatile, and freezes easily. If you're not sure how much to prepare, double the recipe and freeze any leftovers. I wrap it in Glad Wrap before placing into a Ziploc bag in the fridge. To defrost, place it in the fridge the day before you want to use.
Usually when making Pierogis, we place them on baking trays and freeze them individually in the freezer. After about 1 hour, we put them in Ziploc bags and place them back in the freezer. It's a lot of work to make these, so we spend several hours making Pierogies, to enjoy later. This makes an easy dinner when you're too busy to cook. It's worth the effort to make homemade Pierogies, store bought just doesn't taste as good!
Dumpling Recipes Using this Dough
- Vareniki with Farmer's Cheese
- Potato and Cheddar Pierogi
- Pelmeni using a Mold
- Pelmeni (Siberian Ravioli)
- Manti with Beef and Pumpkin
As you can see, this recipe can be used for many types of dumplings. My universal Eastern European Dumpling Dough recipe! Soft, pliable and perfect everytime. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Ingredients
- 4 cups flour plus ¼ cup extra flour for kneading
- 2 small eggs
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon oil
Instructions
- Mix the flour and salt, place into a bowl and make a well in the centre.
- Add oil and crack the eggs into the flour. Using a fork, stir the eggs into the flour.
- Slowly add the water while kneading, until the dough forms a sticky ball.
- Continue to knead the dough on a floured surface until dough is soft but not sticky. Knead the dough for about 5 minutes.
- Cover the dough with a bowl and allow to rest for about an hour. If you're in a hurry you can use after 30 minutes of rest, but an hour is best.
- You now have the perfect Pierogi dough.
©PetersFoodAdventures.com
