Everyone knows pierogi, no matter how you prepare this dish. But not everyone knows, apart from Poles, that pierogi is actually the plural form of these dumplings. To clarify, one piece is a pieróg! What’s more, not everyone knows (even Poles) that you can simply bake pierogi in the oven. Pierogi come in many forms and can surprise even the most seasoned Polish folks.
The most famous ones – boiled – are definitely a classic and the most widespread in Poland. But let’s not forget about other ways of preparing pierogi. You can also pan-fry them, fry them in deep oil or like previously mentioned, simply bake them. Let’s focus on the latter and how to bake them in an oven so that you can get crispy, golden baked pierogi with various fillings.
A Little Bit Of History Of Baked Pierogi
Pierogi appeared as early as in the first Polish cookbook by Stanisław Czerniecki from 1682!
Interestingly, he mainly described sweet pierogi there, with jams, fruits in sugar, and even with rose filling and elderberries.
What might surprise Poles today is that the first recipes for these dumplings were made with yeast or French dough. In other words, Czerniecki recommended baking them in the oven.
Our chef also suggested that in a similar way, one could bake pierogi “with whatever one wants”, especially with plum butter, apples, pears, and poppy seeds.
Nowadays though, it is boiled pierogi that are very often eaten with filling made of different kinds of fruit like plums, cherries, blueberries and strawberries, and you might want to try them out too!
It Is All About The Filling
The filling is a crucial element of pierogi because it can completely change their taste. In Poland, traditionally baked pierogi are served in a savory version with buckwheat or buckwheat groats, lentils, soy, mushrooms, or with cabbage. They can also be enjoyed sweet with cottage cheese, carrots, or even with beets.
Lentil pierogi, from the Polish-Lithuanian border region, are a great option for vegetarians, thanks to their high content of easily digestible protein.
Poppy seeds can also be added to cottage cheese pierogi. Poppy seed filling for pierogi can be prepared in several ways. Polish grandmothers traditionally made pierogi with ground poppy seeds, but nowadays we often opt for an easier option, which is ready-made poppy seed mixture.
Carrot or beet filling is not just the result of Polish imagination. Pierogi were once sweetened with carrots and beets because sugar was not often available.
Today, baked pierogi can be filled with anything, as our chef Czerniecki used to say. The more imaginative and original, the better. For example, they can be eaten with sautéed beef with cheddar cheese, red onion, and pickles.
Pierogi taste delicious with various sauces, one of the most popular being garlic sauce for savory pierogi. Sweet pierogi are often eaten with powdered sugar or sweet cream.
Let’s Not Forget About The Dough Before Baking Pierogi
When making homemade pierogi to bake in the oven, people usually go for either yeast dough or French dough.
Now, if you’re shaping them by hand, make sure to seal those edges real good, such as with a little water or egg wash. We don’t want any filling leaking out.
Oh, and you know those yeast pierogi? They puff up a bit in the oven and have this sweet, distinctive taste. Some say they’re a bit more delicate. Yeast dough takes quite a while to rise so it’s definitely not a quick-fix kind of thing.
However, if shaping dough isn’t your thing, you can always grab some pre-made French dough from the store.
Or, if you’re short on time or just don’t feel like cooking from scratch, there’s no shame in picking up your favorite frozen pierogi. Easy peasy!
The Art Of Baking Pierogi Is Simple
Baking pierogi is one of the easiest ways to prepare them. You don’t have to worry about the dough falling apart and the filling leaking out. You won’t burn yourself with hot splashing oil. All you need to do is to carefully watch them through the oven door until they’re golden brown, and voila, they’re ready!
Moreover, when you bake pierogi, they cook evenly, sporting a nice golden-brown crust and a perfectly heated filling. Plus, you can jazz up their flavor by adding toppings or tossing them into casserole-style dishes.
If You Decide To Pre-Make The Pierogi Yourself, Follow These Steps:
Part I
Firstly, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C)
Part II
Meanwhile, place the pierogi on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or greased with fat or butter. It can be a 9 x 13-inch baking sheet. Make sure to leave some space between them so they can cook evenly.
Part III
Before placing the pierogi in the oven, brush them with your hand or a brush with a beaten egg mixed with milk.
Part IV
For variation, you can sprinkle the top of the pierogi with cheese or nigella or caraway seeds before placing them in the oven. Thanks to the egg wash, these toppings won’t slide off the pierogi.
Part V
Once the oven is heated, place the pierogi, preferably on the middle shelf, using the “top and bottom heating” setting. Avoid using the convection setting.
Part VI
Bake the pierogi for about 20 to 30 minutes until they are golden brown. Give them a flip halfway through. Try to watch them while baking to avoid burning them. Every oven is different, so the baking time may vary slightly. It also depends on the thickness and size of your pierogi.
Part VII
Once out of the oven, allow the pierogi to cool for a few minutes before serving.
If you don’t have time to make pierogi from scratch or haven’t learned how to do it yet, don’t worry! In fact, you can successfully bake pre-made frozen pierogi. Regardless of what they’re filled with, it all depends on your individual preferences.
There are several ways to prepare these pierogi for baking.
If you decide to buy pre-made pierogi and bake them in the oven at home, follow one of these steps.
Boil your pierogi and then put them in the oven
In this version of preparing pierogi, we first cook them in water, and the subsequent process looks similar to when we prepare pierogi from scratch:
Part I
Firstly, preheat the oven to 350°F.
Part II
While the oven is heating, bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Once the water boils, carefully add the frozen pierogi and cook them for 4-5 minutes.
To prevent the pierogi from sticking to the pot while boiling, make sure to use a large pot with plenty of water. Add a generous amount of salt to the boiling water before adding the pierogi in order to enhance flavor. Stir the water gently so the pierogi don’t settle at the bottom and stick to the pot. After the pierogi float to the surface of the water, cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Finally, remove the pierogi from the boiling water using a slotted spoon and place them in a colander to drain.
Part III
Lightly grease your oven-safe dish or baking sheet with olive oil or melted butter. This will prevent the pierogi from sticking to the dish and help them develop a beautiful golden crust.
Part IV
Place the drained pierogi in a single layer in the greased oven-safe dish or baking sheet. Make sure to leave some space between them so they can cook evenly.
Part V
Carefully transfer the baking dish to the preheated oven and let the pierogi bake for 20-30 minutes, or until they become crispy and golden brown on the outside. Give them a flip halfway through.
Try to keep an eye on them while baking to avoid burning. Each oven is different, so the baking time may vary slightly.
Part VI
Once out of the oven, allow the pierogi to cool for a few minutes before serving.
Steam frozen pierogi before they go to the oven
In this version of preparing pierogi before you put them in the oven, first steam the pierogi. There are three main ways of steaming pierogi.
Steamer
If you have a steamer at home, you surely know how to use it. Steaming pierogi is then very simple.
First, grease the surface of the steamer with oil. Then arrange the pierogi in a single layer so that they don’t stick together, not too tight! If your steamer has two bowls, remember that the top one cooks slower.
Cook for 10-15 minutes or for the time specified in the steamer’s manual.
Multicooker
If you’re familiar with a multicooker, you can also steam pierogi in it!
First, lightly grease the steaming basket with melted butter to prevent the dough from sticking to the surface. Arrange the pierogi in a single layer.
Then boil water, pour a glass of boiling water into the multicooker bowl. Place the basket on the bottom, close the lid, and select the steaming mode. In my multicooker, it’s called the “normal” mode.
Some multicooker models have an automatic shutdown feature after the dish is cooked. However, if it doesn’t shut down, you can determine the degree of readiness of the pierogi yourself: take a look at them a few times and poke them with a fork. The whole process takes about 15 minutes.
Regular Strainer
If you don’t have a multicooker or steamer at home, a regular strainer will do the trick!
Pour water (about 1-2 cups) into a pot, place a large metal strainer on top of the pot, and place the pierogi on it. Steam for about 15 minutes – from the time the water boils.
After steaming the pierogi, follow these simple steps:
Part I
Firstly, preheat your oven to 356°F (180°C).
Part II
Lightly grease your oven-safe dish or baking sheet with olive oil or melted butter to prevent sticking and achieve a golden crust.
Part III
Arrange the drained pierogi in a single layer on the dish or baking sheet, leaving space between them for even baking.
Part IV
Carefully place the baking dish in the preheated oven and bake the pierogi for 20-25 minutes until they are crispy and golden brown. Give them a flip halfway through.
Keep an eye on them to prevent burning, as oven times may vary.
Part V
Once the pierogi are out of the oven, let them cool for a few minutes before serving.
Thaw pierogi in a microwave before baking them
If you’re not keen on any of the above methods for thawing pierogi before baking them, you can use a microwave.
This isn’t a method commonly used in Poland, but it can certainly save you some time. Most importantly, be careful not to overheat the pierogi. As a result, the pierogi may lose their softness and become less enjoyable to eat.
If you still want to heat pierogi in the microwave, place a slice of butter on each pieróg. Arrange them on a plate, cover with plastic wrap or a microwave-safe lid, and heat on high power for about 2-3 minutes. After this time, they’ll be ready to be baked in the oven. Then proceed as you would after heating pierogi in boiling water or steaming them.
If you want to add a bit more flavor to your frozen pierogi, it’s worth trying to heat them in sauce. Depending on your preferences, you can choose tomato sauce, cream sauce, mushroom sauce, or even meat sauce — the combinations are endless. It all depends on what you like. Simply follow these steps:
Part I
Firstly, preheat your oven to 355°F (180°C).
Part II
Thaw your pierogi (in boiling water, by steaming, or in the microwave).
If you’ve just made pierogi yourself, skip this step.
Part III
In the meantime, prepare the sauce of your choice. Feel free to get creative!
Part IV
Arrange the pierogi in a baking dish.
Part V
Pour the sauce over the pierogi.
Part VI
Finally, place the dish with pierogi in sauce in the oven and heat for about 20-25 minutes until the sauce thickens and the pierogi are well heated.
FUN FACT:
Even regular pierogi dough meant for boiling can be baked in the oven. Back in the days when I was a child, if there was some leftover pierogi dough that was meant to be boiled, there was no need to throw it away. You could simply put it in the oven and enjoy it later as a crispy treat. These thin cakes are called “podpłomyki“. They make an excellent addition to cold cuts, cheeses, or sauces.
What’s more, if you’re making pierogi with yeast dough, you can use the leftover dough to make pizza. Roll out the dough thinly into a round shape and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Top the pizza with your favorite ingredients or whatever you have on hand in the fridge. Bake it just like the pierogi, for about 20 minutes, until the edges of the pizza are golden brown.
