Pierogi

Ingredients

• •3 cups flour
• •3/4 cup hot water
• •1 tsp salt (for the dough)
• •2 tbsp vegetable oil
• •2 cups mashed potatoes, cooled
• •1 cup farmer's cheese or dry curd cottage cheese (or cheddar if unavailable)
• •1 onion, finely diced, divided
• •3 tbsp butter
• •Salt to taste (for the filling)
• •Pepper to taste

Steps

1. 1.Sauté half the diced onion in 1 tbsp of the butter until deeply golden, then mix into the mashed potatoes with the farmer's cheese, salt, and pepper to make the filling.
2. 2.Combine the flour and salt, then stir in the hot water and oil and mix into a dough - hot water, not cold, is what makes traditional pierogi dough soft and pliable, unlike the stiffer texture an egg-enriched dough gives.
3. 3.Knead until smooth, about 5-7 minutes, then cover and rest for 20-30 minutes.
4. 4.Roll the dough thin and cut into rounds. Spoon a small amount of filling onto each round, fold over, and pinch the edges tightly to seal - a well-sealed edge is what keeps the filling from leaking out into the boiling water.
5. 5.Boil the pierogi in batches in salted water until they float to the top, about 3-4 minutes.
6. 6.Sauté the remaining onion in the rest of the butter until golden, then toss the boiled pierogi in the pan to lightly brown before serving.