Pierogi is one of the dishes that is very very popular across the country. There is a lot of debate about where these delicious pierogi originated from. Some believe that they came from as far east as China where dumplings are popular even today. Others believe that it came along with the tsars of the Russian empire.
While the origins of the dish may be debatable, everyone agrees on one thing. Pierogi are delicious! They are easy to make, are a filling meal and are extremely versatile when it comes to the stuffing. In fact, these pierogi can have both sweet and savory fillings depending on the season and situation.
With Halloween round the corner, a great idea is to make Pumpkin Pierogi. Not only is it a healthy meal because pumpkin is a great vegetable in any form, it is also a quick and easy meal plan for any Halloween party.
Pumpkin Pierogi Recipe
Make The Pumpkin Pierogi Filling
Part I – Blend The Ingredients Together
Blend 2 cups of pumpkin puree with the juice of 2 oranges, 7 oz of shredded cheese and 1 tsp of salt. This will form the filling. Set it aside while you get the other parts of the pierogi ready.
Make The Dough
Part I – Whisk The Ingredients Together
Add 5 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 egg, 5 tbsps. of oil and ½ tsp of salt to a bowl. Whisk the ingredients together. You can choose to do this by hand or use the hook attachment of your hand held mixer. It is important that all the ingredients combine well.
While the filling of the pumpkin pierogi adds flavor to the dish, the true test however is the taste and texture of the dough. If you make the best filling but your wrapping tastes bad or has an odd texture, the dish will not be a success.
Part II – Add The Water
Add in 1 cup of water. Ensure to add it slowly and to mix the dough as you add it in. This will make sure that the dough mixes well and all the ingredients combine thoroughly. It will also ensure that the gluten in the mixture gets activated. This is essential to get the best texture for your dough.
Part III – Whisk The Ingredients Well
Once the water has been added, whisk the dough thoroughly. The texture at the end of the whisking needs to be smooth. If there are lumps in your dough, keep whisking till these disappear.
Mold Pumpkin Pierogi
Part I – Divide The Dough Into 2 Or 3 Pieces
Dividing the dough gives you a smaller segment of the dough to deal with. Smaller pieces of dough are easier to handle. If you make it too small, it gets time consuming though. This is because you have to roll out multiple sections of the dough. Ideally for this recipe, dividing the dough into 2-3 pieces works. Use 3 pieces if you have a very small countertop.
Part II – Roll Each Piece On A Floured Surface
Use a floured surface for the next part of the recipe. Many people choose to use a clean countertop. Roll the dough thin. It should be around 1/8 – 1/16” in thickness.
Part III – Cut Out Shapes
For the pumpkin pierogi recipe, you will need circular shapes. The easiest way to do this is to use a circular cookie cutter. If you do not have a cookie cutter, don’t worry. You can also use the mouth of a glass.
Part IV – Add The Filling
This is the tricky part. You need to be careful when you add the filling in the pumpkin pierogi. Place the pumpkin filling right in the center of each circle. Ideally the more filling you use, the better it is. You have to however ensure that the filling stays inside the pierogi after it is sealed. This is because the pierogi may fall apart when cooking it.
Part V – Form The Pumpkin Pierogi
In order to form the pumpkin pierogi, pull the edges of each circle together. Make sure that the seal of the pierogi is continuous and intact. If there are any spaces left, the pierogi will break open during cooking.
Part VI – Collect The Remaining Dough
Collect the remaining dough scraps and put them in the other 2 dough pieces. Repeat the process until the entire dough and all the filling are used.
Cook The Pumpkin Pierogi
Part I – Boil Water
Make sure that you choose a big pot to boil water. Add 2 pinches of water to it and boil.
Part II – Gently Throw Pierogi, One By One Into The Boiling Water.
Part III – Wait For The Pumpkin Pierogi To Float
The pumpkin pierogi will start to float. Wait for a minute when they do this. Then take them out of the boiling water with a slotted spoon.
Part IV – Pour The Melted Butter On Top. Serve Warm.
FAQs About Pumpkin Pierogi
Are There Any Other Ways Of Making Pumpkin Pierogi?
While the actual process of making pumpkin pierogi essentially remains the same, there are a couple of variations to this dish when it comes to cooking it. The most traditional and popular way is to boil the pierogi. You can also bake and fry pierogi. This gives the dumpling a slightly different texture and is a great change if you want to do something different.
What Are The Other Types Of Pierogi That You Can Make?
As I mentioned before, there are different types of pierogi and most of the changes are in relation to the stuffing. The stuffing can either be sweet or savory. Here are some popular pierogi recipes that you should consider trying.
- Christmas sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi
- Pierogi Z Makiem or Polish poppy seed pierogi
- Polish sweet cheese pierogi
- Cherry pierogi
- Blueberry pierogi
- Strawberry pierogi
- Vegan pierogi
- Fresh cabbage pierogi
- Polish sauerkraut pierogi
What Kind Of Cheese Should I Use?
The usual choice of cheese is cheddar. One of the best tips when it comes to using cheese is to grate it yourself. This will ensure that the cheese has not clumped together and that it spreads evenly in the filling. You can also use ricotta cheese which has a lovely texture and taste.
What Should I Serve With Pumpkin Pierogi?
Pumpkin pierogi has everything that you want in a main course. The rich butter texture combined with the delicious filling is a crowd pleaser. You can however choose to keep a couple sides along with the dish. These could be anything from stir fried vegetables to stuffed cabbage rolls.
Is There Any Other Polish Halloween Food?
Yes! The most popular Polish Halloween candy is trupi miodek (follow the link for the recipe).
Pumpkin Pierogi Recipe - Pierogi Z Dynią Perfect For The Halloween!
Ingredients
Pierogi Dough
- 5 cups (600g) of all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 cup of warm water
- ½ tsp of salt
- 5 tbsps of oil
- 2 tsps of turmeric (optionally)
Filling
- 2 cups of pumpkin puree
- juice of 2 oranges
- 7 oz (200g) of shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 tsp of salt
Instructions
Make The Pumpkin Filling
- Blend all the ingredients together.
Make The Dough
- Put flour, egg, oil, and salt into the bowl. Whisk it together with a hand or dough hook attachment.
- Start adding the water slowly, letting it incorporate before adding more.
- Whisk until all the ingredients are incorporated and there are no lumps.
Mold Pumpkin Pierogi
- Divide the dough into 2 or 3 pieces.
- Thinly roll each piece out onto a floured surface to just under 1/16 - 1/8” thickness.
- Use a round cookie cutter to cut the circles from the dough.
- Put the pumpkin filling in the center of each circle. The more filling, the better, however, you need to be sure they stay inside pierogi. When the filling gets between the dough when sealing, pierogi may fall apart during the cooking.
- Pull the edges of each circle together to form pierogi. Make sure the seal is continuous and intact. You can't leave any free space, as pierogi will fall apart during the cooking. Pinch tightly.
- Collect the remaining dough scraps and put them to the other 2 dough pieces. Repeat the process until the entire dough and all the filling are used.
Cook Pierogi20
- Pour the water into the big pot. Add 2 pinches of salt. Boil.
- Gently throw pierogi, one by one into the boiling water.
- When they start floating, wait for a minute and take them out with the slotted spoon.
- Pour the melted butter on top. Serve warm.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 351Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 421mgCarbohydrates: 49gFiber: 3gSugar: 6gProtein: 10g
These data are indicative and calculated by Nutritionix
