Recipe: Here's one Martha did on her show

* Exported from MasterCook *

POTATO PIEROGI WITH MRS. KOSTYRA

Recipe By : (c) 1998 Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia LLC.
Serving Size : 60 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories : Side Dishes

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
***POTATO PIEROGI***
1 egg
2 tablespoons sour cream -- heaping
1 cup milk
1 cup water
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour -- up to 5
4 tablespoons unsalted butter -- melted
2 tablespoons cornmeal
5 pounds baking potatoes -- peeled and
quartered -- (about 10 medium
-- potatoes)
1/4 pound unsalted butter -- (1 stick), melted
2 ounces cheddar cheese -- grated (about 1/2
cup)
4 ounces cream cheese
coarse salt & freshly ground black pepper -- to
taste

1. In a medium bowl whisk the egg. Add the sour cream and whisk until smooth. Add the milk and water and whisk until combined. Slowly add about 3 cups of flour and stir to combine with a wooden spoon.

2. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface and work in about 1 cup flour as you knead. Use a plastic scraper to lift the dough as it will stick to the counter before the flour is worked in to it. Continue kneading for about 8 to 10 minutes working in another 1/2 cup flour. The dough should be elastic in texture and no longer sticky. Be careful not to add too much flour as this will toughen the dough. Place dough in a lightly floured bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rest while you prepare the filling.

3. Cook potatoes in salted boiling water until fork-tender. Drain and mash with a potato masher. Add melted butter and cheeses, and continue to mash until well incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Place a large pot of salted water over high heat and bring to a boil. Lay a clean linen towel on your counter and evenly distribute cornmeal on it to prevent sticking.

4. On a floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Using a glass or cookie cutter measuring 2 1/2 inch diameter cut out as many circles as possible. Gather scraps together and reroll, and continue cutting.

5. Form filling into 1 1/2-inch balls, and place a ball in the center of each dough circle. Holding a circle in your hand, fold dough over filling and pinch the edges forming a well-sealed crescent. Transfer to linen towel. Continue this process until all dough circles are filled.

6. Place pierogi in the boiling water in batches. They will sink to the bottom of the pot and then rise to the top. Once they rise, let them cook for about 1 more minute. Meanwhile, drizzle platter with melted butter. Remove pierogi from pot and transfer to platter to prevent sticking. Serve immediately.

Makes About 60

NOTES: A family's rich heritage is often passed down through generations in the foods they eat and the recipes they share. Though Martha's grandparents came to the United States from Poland in the early twentieth century, she still enjoys the culinary legacy they brought with them. Martha Kostyra joins her daughter to demonstrate how to make her irresistible homemade pierogi. These delicious crescent-shaped noodle dumplings are stuffed with a variety of fillings, like potato and cheese, spiced meat, cabbage, or mushrooms. Sometimes fruit fillings are used, and the pierogi are sprinkled with sugar. Mrs. Kostyra shows how to make the dough and a potato filling, and how to seal each dumpling before cooking them in boiling water. Pierogi bob to the surface of the cooking water when they're done.

Pierogi were traditionally served as a meatless dish during Lent, but evolved into a popular side dish. You might serve them with kielbasa, an Eastern European spiced sausage. Martha's favorite kielbasa comes from Kurowycky Meat Products, an outstanding Ukrainian meat market located on the Lower East Side of Manhattan.

Sources: Special thanks to Martha Kostyra Kielbasa, $3.99 per pound Kurowycky Meat Products 124 First Avenue New York, NY 10009 212-477-0344 Available locally only. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -