Polish Dumplings (pierogi) are , according to Polish tradition, the only dish with a saint  Patron – St.Jack with dumplings. The Name day of St.Jack is celebrated on the 17th August. The statue of St.Jack is the  first prize rewarding the most delicious dumplings served at St.Jack’s trades.

   Polish Dumplings have been popular since 18th century- first of all in the South-East of Poland .Dumpling Trades were organized to celebrate the St.Jack Day on the day before .

   Pierogi have become even more  popular after the  World War II, which was associated with an  after war migration. Pierogi were served in the cheap canteens for students and poor people

    Dumplings  are cheap easy to prepare . There are also various fillings which can be used : potatoes, crumbled bacon, meat, cabbage, sauerkraut, mushrooms, grains, farmer cheese, cottage cheese or fruits. You can serve them all year round boiled, fried or  roasted.

    There are also tiny dumplings called “uszka”-offered as an accompaniment to borscht (beetroot soup) or clear soup.

    Pierogi are popular among Polish students, who enjoy them served them sweet with cream or vanilla sauce. It  is a students’ initiative to organize competition in eating pierogi in a certain time limit at Students’ Festival in Wrocław. There is also a bronze dwarf to commemorate pierogi , holding a huge dumpling on a fork.

    According to some cookery books there are 40 different types of pierogi.The most popular among them are: Russian Pierogi filled with potatoes and cottage cheese, Biłgoraj’s pierogi filled with sauerkraut, potatoes, pork and onion, Christmas Eve’s tiny  dumplings with sauerkraut and mushrooms, Huculskie’s dumplings filled with beef and buckwheat porridge, fruit dumplings and many others.

 

RECIPES

Dough

1.      flour , sifted 350 grams

2.      1 egg

3.      water 150ml

4.       a pinch of salt

Directions

Sieve flour add an egg. Form stiff dough gradually adding water. A ready made dough divide into parts and cover with a wet cloth. Roll one part of dough after another on a floured board. Cut into circles with a glass or doughnut cutter. Place filling in each circle .Fold  the cicle in half. Seal with your fingers.Drop into simmering water until each dumpling floats .Boiled pierogi .Drain off pierogi  with a slotted spoon .Serve with butter, crumble bacon with different sauce.Flavour with salt and pepper. You can add some bullion.

 

Filling

1.Meat Filling:

beef 500grams

onions 100gr

fat  20gr

2 eggs

parsley

pork fat 100gr

Directions

Wash meat , boil in salted water, mince. Chop an  onion , fry, mix with minced meat , chopped boiled vegetables and chopped green  parsley. Add eggs

2.  ’Ruskie Pierogi’ –Russian Dumplings

Ingredients:

potatoes 800gr

cottage cheese 200gr

onions 50gr

fat 30gr

salt and pepper to  flavour, crumble bacon

Directions

Boil potatoes, peel them, mince together with cottage cheese, add fried chopped onion. Flavour with salt and pepper. Place filling in each circle .Fold  the cicle in half. Seal with your fingers.Drop into simmering water until each dumpling floats .Boiled pierogi .Drain off pierogi  with a slotted spoon .

3. Tiny Christmas Eve Dumplings

Ingredients

dried boletus mushrooms 80-100 gr

onions 80gr

Fat

folk

crumbs

salt and pepper to flavour

Directions

Soak mushrooms into water and boil then mince with fried onion. Add crumbs, yolk. Mix together. Place filling in each circle .Fold  the cicle in half. Seal with your fingers. Drop into simmering water until each dumpling floats. Boiled pierogi. Drain off pierogi with a slotted spoon. Serve with borscht or clear soup.