Best Polish Buckwheat and Cheese Pierogi {Pierogi z Kaszą i Twarogiem}
Pierogi z kaszą i twarogiem [pyeh-roh-gee z kah-show ee tvah-roh-gyem] are another savory version of the favorite Polish dumpling. Buckwheat and farmer’s cheese make a great pair: cheese is slightly tangy and buckwheat, deep, almost smoky. A topping of sweet onions and bacon bits complete this classic combination.
Buckwheat is widely used in Polish cooking. It is often served as a side dish to a meaty stew (like pork stew, or beef rolls), made into cabbage roll (gołąbki) filling, added to soups or, like in this case, made into pierogi filling.
Polish buckwheat and cheese pierogi
Polish Buckwheat and Cheese Pierogi {Pierogi z Kaszą i Twarogiem}
Ingredients
- Dough:
- 3 cups of all purpose flour
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 1/4 cup / 300 ml of warm water
- Filling:
- 1 cup of uncooked buckwheat (3 cups cooked)
- 1 tsp of salt
- 2 small onions (1/2 cup chopped)
- 2 tbs of butter
- 8 oz / 250 g of farmer's cheese*
- 4 tbs of chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 tsp of pepper
- 2 whole eggs
- Additionally:
- Bacon and onions for garnish
Instructions
Cook buckwheat according to instructions on the package with a teaspoon of salt. Set aside to cool.
Dice onions and sauté in butter, also set aside to cool.
In the meantime, make dough: place flour, salt and egg in the mixing bowl. If you're using a stand up mixer, using the hook attachment make dough by adding water bit by bit. If working by hands, also slowly add water until dough clumps. Then transfer unto floured surface and work until smooth. Cover in plastic and set aside.
Once buckwheat cools, add the onions and the remaining ingredients. Mix to combine. Taste, and add more salt, if needed.
Place portion of the dough on a floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin to about 1/8 inch / 3 mm in thickness. With a glass (or a pierogi cutter**) cut out circles, place filling on each circle and close to form pierogi***
Fill a large pot with water and set to boil. When water starts boiling, turn down to low, add a splash of oil and a pinch of salt. Turn boiling water to low heat, drop dumplings into the water in batches (7-10 at a time). Stir gently and let float. When they float up to the top, let sit for about 2-3 minutes. Don't let the water roll, it may brake your dumplings, and we don't want that.
Remove dumplings and place onto a clean surface without touching. You may serve immediately, garnished with sautéed onion and bacon bit, or brown dumplings in butter.
Polish buckwheat and cheese pierogi
*if you can’t find farmer’s cheese in your area, consider making your own, my recipe here. For this recipe, you may also substitute it with ricotta cheese. It will not be 100% the same, but it will do the job.
**check out the list of MY FAVORITE THINGS to see the pierogi cutter I’m using.
***check out the video above for 3 methods of sealing pierogi.
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