Classic Cheddar & Onion Pierogi

These sweet little dumplings are the ultimate comfort food. Cozy up to this traditional Polish treat made using potatoes, stuffed with melted cheese, and topped with caramelized onions. Rich, creamy, and filling, these little pockets of cheesy goodness are typically served up with sour cream and butter for dipping and spreading.

Featuring

prep time
120minutes
assembly time
15minutes
Serves
12people

preparation & ingredients

4 cups All purpose flour

2 Eggs

6 Tbsp. Sour cream

3 Tbsp. Vegetable oil

2 Tbsp. Unsalted butter (melted)

1 cup Water

1 tsp. Salt

5 medium Russet potatoes

4 Tbsp. Unsalted butter (melted)

1 tsp. Salt

4 oz. Champlain Valley Organic Cream Cheese, 8 oz.

1 ea. Grafton 1 Year Cheddar Bar, 8 oz (grated)

4 Yellow onions

2 Tbsp. Vegetable oil

2 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Sugar

½ cup Chives (chopped)

2 Tbsp. Unsalted butter

¼ cup Vermont Creamery Creme Fraiche, 8 oz. or sour cream

First, begin the process of caramelizing the onions to top the pierogi as this will take the longest. Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium and toss in the sliced onions.

Add the sugar and salt and mix to coat the onions.

Allow the onions to reduce slowly. Monitor them regularly to ensure they are not burning. They should slowly transition from translucent white to pale tan to light brown to deep mahogany.

Sift flour for the dough into a large bowl and create a well in the middle.

Add the remaining ingredients for the dough and mix with a spoon until a shaggy mass forms.

Use your hands to knead the dough within the bowl until any dry patches are incorporated and the dough becomes smoother.

Cover the bowl with a linen towel and set aside to allow the dough to rest for a half hour.

Give the dough another knead for about 3 minutes. You should notice it is easier to handle now.

Cover the bowl again and allow the dough to rest for an additional 30 minutes.

Boil the potatoes, skins on, until they are fork tender.

Skin off the potatoes once they are cool then mash them using ricer, fork, or potato masher.

Incorporate the cream cheese and melted butter. And finally, add the grated cheddar until the filling is smooth and the ingredients are evenly mixed throughout. Set aside.

Lightly flour a large working surface and turn out the dough. Cut the ball in half and wrap one half in plastic wrap so it won’t dry out while you work with the other half.

Roll the remaining half of dough out until the sheet is about 1/4” in thickness.

Using a biscuit cutter, Mason jar or glass, punch holes in the dough and set them aside.

Once all the dough has been punched into circles, flip the circles so the underside is now facing up.

Scoop a heaping tablespoon of filling and roll in your hands until a uniform ball is formed. Place the ball in the center of a circle of dough and repeat for remaining circles.

Fold and crimp each pierogi so that no filling slips through the cracks and the dough has completely sealed from end-to-end. Set aside.

Prepare a pot of boiling water and boil pierogi until they have risen to the surface, plus an additional minute. Roughly 8 minutes.

Remove to a buttered dish and heat remaining butter in a skillet. Slide pierogi into the skillet and fry until brown on one side.

Remove to a serving dish, top with dollops of crème fraiche, diced chives and caramelized onions.