We don’t know about you, but as the weather turns chilly we’re all about some tasty warming comfort food. These pierogis made with locally foraged wild mushrooms and our sauerkraut really hit the spot! Any meaty mushroom can be substituted for the Maitake (Hen of the Woods) pictured. The process is time consuming, so making a big batch to freeze is a great choice. Note: While still delicious, heating our sauerkraut kills those gut healthy bacteria so be sure to serve with a little extra raw on the side if you want to maintain the probiotic benefits.
INGREDIENTS
Filling
1 onion
2 cups warm mashed potatoes and celeriac
1 cup grated smoked cheddar
1 shallot
1 tbsp butter
Serving
Sour cream
2 tbsp butter
1 cup Hosta Hill sauerkraut
1/2 lb wild mushrooms
Dough
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, room temperature
INSTRUCTIONS
To make the dough:
Mix together the flour and salt. Add the egg to the flour and combine. The dough will be dry at this stage. Work in the sour cream and soft butter until the dough comes together in a slightly rough, slightly sticky ball.
Using just your fingertips, knead and fold the dough without adding additional flour until the dough becomes less sticky but still quite moist.
Wrap the dough well in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes, or up to 48 hours.
To make the filling:
Sauté shallot and onion in skillet until caramelized and set aside. Combine the warm mashed potato/celeriac mixture, cheese, and caramelized onion/shallot. Stir and mash until the cheese is melted and the filling is cool to the touch. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt and pepper.
To fill the pierogi:
Roll half the dough 1/8" thick. Use a 2" round cutter to cut circles of dough. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Save the scraps; these can be snipped into small pieces and added to simmering soups.
Place 1 1/2 teaspoons of filling on each round of dough. Gently fold the dough over, forming a pocket around the filling. Pinch the edges of the pierogi to seal.
At this point the pierogi can be frozen for up to 6 weeks, or refrigerated overnight.
To serve
Heat butter in a skillet and sauté mushrooms until thoroughly cooked and slightly browned. Turn heat to low, add sauerkraut and cook until warm. Set aside.
Add pierogi to large stockpot of boiling salted water. Only cook about 10 pierogi at a time, so that they have room to float without sticking. When the pierogi float, they're done. The time will vary depending of if they are fresh or frozen. When they float, take them out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon and briefly sauté in a generous amount of butter until browned.
Serve with mushroom mixture and sour cream. Enjoy!