The August 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge was hosted by LizG of Bits n’ Bites and Anula of Anula’s Kitchen. They chose to challenge Daring Cooks to make pierogi from scratch and an optional challenge to provide one filling that best represents their locale.

Timing is everything. As the deadline for this challenge loomed I was still undecided as to which type of pierogi to make. My experiences eating pierogi haven't been numerous but I still wanted to prepare something eminently edible if not entirely authentic. Finally, a chance conversation with my good friend Rebecca (a traveller and a really good eater of all things dumplings ... good reasons to love her) led  me to come up with these pierogi. Rebecca's favourite pierogi were eaten in Slovakia and she described them to me as well as she could. This is my faithful rendition. I do not assume these are authentic in any way but girlfriend deemed them to be better than the Slovakian originals. Thank you, Rebecca and thank you Liz and Anula for organising this month's challenge!



Goat Cheese and Potato Pierogi with Butter and Hazelnut Sauce

This recipe yields more than enough for 4 hungry adults


For the dough:

  • Potatoes: 500 grams, preferably red-skinned
  • Flour: 120 grams
  • Egg: 1 medium size
  • Salt: 1 tablespoon, levelled

For the filling:

  • Fresh goat cheese (bûche blanc):150 grams, mashed with a fork
  • Sour cream: 100 grams 
  • Nutmeg: Freshly grated, a pinch

For the sauce:

  • Salted butter: 100 grams
  • Hazelnuts: 100 grams, whole, slightly crushed with a mortar and pestle
  • Dry red pepper flakes: 1 teaspoon (optional)
  • Sour cream: 50 mls


Filling Preparation:

1)        Blend the filling ingredients in a bowl using a fork, adjust for flavour with salt and black pepper.


Dough Preparation:

1)        In a medium size pot, bring water to a boil and simmer potatoes until easily pierced, about 20 minutes


2)        Peel and mash potatoes using a potato ricer. Make sure there are no lumps if you are using a fork or a potato masher


3)        Mix in the flour, egg and the salt. Use your fingers to blend the flour thoroughly but gently into the potatoes, add more flour if mixture sticks to your fingers, but again, be gentle when mixing as you don't want to toughen up your dough. Stop adding flour once your dough becomes manageable. It will be still slightly sticky but this is fine.

4)        Lightly flour a work surface and roll out dough to a thickness of about 3 mm. Using a 2.5 inch  or 6.5 cm (approximately) cookie cutter cut out rounds of dough and set aside. Cover with a cloth.

5)        Spoon a couple of teaspoonfuls of filling onto each round of dough and fold over to form half moons as in here. Should you feel like it, you could use a fork to make pretty little indentations on the edges. Set aside and keep covered with a cloth.

6)        Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pierogi until they float to the top. Cook a few at a time as overcrowding will lower the water's temperature too much. When done, remove with a slotted spoon and place in a lightly oiled bowl or platter. Keep this bowl in a warm place or inside your oven.


Sauce Preparation:

1)        Place butter in a medium size frying pan and add hazelnuts and pepper flakes to butter.

2)        Fry hazelnuts in the butter until they become golden and butter is lightly browned.

3)        Pour butter sauce on pierogi,  spoon a bit of sour cream on top and serve immediately. Eat.