Traditional Potato and Cheddar Ukrainian Perogy Recipe

This is a traditional family recipe for making Ukrainian perogies, or vareniky

Makes about 100 perogies

Filling Ingredients

• 5 lbs Russet potatoes
• 350 grams (about 1½ cups) old cheddar cheese, orange
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tsp salt

Filling Preparation

1. Boil the potatoes until they are soft.
2. Remove enough potatoes to make the 2 cups required for the dough (below). Mash these two cups with a little potato water to create a smooth texture.
3. Mash the remaining potatoes and add the cheddar and salt.
4. Fry onion in butter then add it to the potato and cheese mixture.
5. Place the filling in a dish and allow to cool at room temperature if you are using it the same day. If you will be making the perogies the next day, cool the filling in the fridge.

 Dough Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• ½ cup peanut oil
• 2 cups of mashed potatoes
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• Enough flour to make a soft dough, approximately 3 ½ to 4 cups

Dough Preparation

1. Beat eggs in a mixer using the whisk attachment.
2. Add peanut oil, mashed potatoes and salt, and combine with mixer.
3. Add 1 cup of the flour and continue beating with the whisk attachment.
4. Using either your hands or a dough hook attachment on the mixer, add the remaining flour. Knead dough until it is smooth.
5. Allow dough to rest under cover for at least 1 to 2 hours at room temperature.
6. Roll dough out thinly and cut into rounds using a round cookie cutter or round glass approximately 7 to 9 cm in diameter.
7. Place about 1 tsp of filling* on each piece of round dough. Fold the circle in half and close the edges by pinching them together, making sure that all edges are sealed well. Make certain not to leave any holes or the perogies will break during boiling.
8. If desired, perogies can be frozen by placing each on a cookie sheet until firm, then storing in a bag.
9. To serve, place frozen perogies in a large pot of boiling water and let cook until they rise to the top. Remove with a slotted spoon.
10. Add melted butter to the boiled perogies with fried onions, bacon bits and sour cream, if desired.

*How much filling you want depends on the size of your circle (you need to be able to pinch it closed properly) and personal preference. Some prefer them to look like a pillow while others prefer less filling.