Pierogi Ruskie with Buttery Onions and Soured Cream

⏱ 90 min · Serves 4

Tender hand-pinched dumplings stuffed with silky potato, twaróg-style curd cheese and sweet fried onion, then bathed in nutty brown butter. Finished with a cool spoonful of soured cream and snipped chives, this is Polish Sunday comfort at its very best.

Per serving: 790 kcal · 24.0g protein · 98.0g carbs · 34.0g fat

Ingredients

• 400g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 large egg
• 200ml warm water
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• 1 tsp fine salt
• 500g floury potatoes (Maris Piper), peeled and cubed
• 250g twaróg or full-fat cottage cheese, drained and pressed
• 2 large onions, finely diced
• 70g butter, plus 40g for frying
• Salt and plenty of white pepper
• 200ml soured cream, to serve
• 2 tbsp chives, finely snipped

Method

1. Tip the flour and salt into a bowl, make a well and add the egg, oil and most of the warm water. Bring together, then knead 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
2. Boil the potatoes in salted water until very tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well and mash until smooth; leave to cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, fry the diced onions in 40g butter over a low heat for 12-15 minutes until deep golden and sweet. Reserve half for serving.
4. Mash the curd cheese into the potato with half the fried onions. Season generously with salt and white pepper — it should taste punchy. Cool completely.
5. Roll the dough thinly (2mm) on a floured surface and stamp out 8cm rounds. Place a heaped teaspoon of filling on each, fold over and pinch the edges firmly to seal, keeping the rim free of filling.
6. Cook the pierogi in batches in a wide pan of well-salted simmering water for 3-4 minutes, until they float and the dough looks glossy. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
7. Melt the remaining 70g butter in a large frying pan until foaming and nutty, add the reserved onions, then toss the pierogi through to coat and lightly colour.
8. Serve hot with a generous spoonful of soured cream and a shower of chives.