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Baked Pierogi Recipe – Yeast Pierogi With Kiełbasa

Name: Polish Empanadas Recipe - Yeast Pierogi With Kiełbasa
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 2 h 20 min
Yield: 18
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 1 large Polish sausage link (14 oz/400g); 1 large onion; ½ tsp of salt; 1 tsp of sweet paprika powder; ½ tsp of black pepper; 1 tbsp of oil; 3 cups of all-purpose flour; 2 tbsps of instant yeast; ½ cup of warm milk (or plant-based milk); ½ cup of warm water; 3 tbsps of oil; a pinch of salt; egg wash to brush empanadas

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The Polish baked pierogi recipe is an alternative to the famous Polish pierogi that are boiled. The biggest difference between the two recipes lies in the dough. The baked pierogi use yeast dough, unlike the pierogi. This is responsible for the difference in texture and flavor of the empanadas when compared to the traditional pierogi.

Interestingly enough, Polish empanadas can be either fried or baked. It is a personal choice. If you ask me, I would say that they taste much better baked. Plus they are much healthier than the fried versions.

The baked pierogi, much like the traditional pierogi, can be stuffed with a variety of different stuffing. In fact, you can substitute the stuffing in this recipe with any other pierogi stuffing. The yeast-based dough pairs well with both sweet and savory stuffing so there is no worry about that either.

Baked Pierogi Recipe – Yeast Pierogi With Kiełbasa

Make The Dough

Part I – Knead The Dough

Use a large bowl to make the dough. Add 3 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 tbsps. of instant yeast, ½ cup of warm milk, ½ cup of warm water, 3 tbsps. of oil and a pinch of salt. Knead the ingredients together. For this step you can use your hand or a food processor.

Part II – Place The Dough Into A Big Bowl And Cover It With A Clean Kitchen Cloth

Part III – Place The Bowl In A Warm Place And Wait For 60 – 90 Minutes

Set the bowl aside in a warm place. The warmth helps the yeast do their job and makes the dough rise. This usually takes anywhere between 60-90 minutes. The rule of thumb is simple. The dough is ready when it has doubled in size.

It is important to note that the dough will rise slower in colder climates. In such situations, I recommend placing the bowl close to a stove or an oven that is running. The ambient heat will help the dough rise faster.

Make The Filling

Part I – Peel And Finely Chop An Onion

Part II – Finely Dice The Sausage

Page III – Fry The Filling

Add a little oil into a pan and fry the onions along with the finely diced sausage. Season the mixture with ½ tsp. of salt, 1 tsp. of sweet paprika powder and ½ tsp. of black pepper.

Assemble And Bake The Polish Empanadas

Part I – Preheat The Oven To 356 F

Preheating the oven is a very important part in any baking recipe. It ensures that the oven is at the right temperature when you are ready to place your baked goods in. Too hot and the empanadas will burn without cooking. Too cold and they will be dry once they are cooked.

Part II – Divide The Dough Into 2 – 3 Pieces.

Part III – Roll Each Part Of The Dough

When you roll the dough make sure that the layer is thick. This is essential so that the filling does not leak out when the Polish empanadas are being baked.

Part IV – Cut Circles In The Dough

Use a cookie cutter to cut circles in the dough. These circles will be used to form the Polish empanadas. If you don’t have a cookie cutter, use the mouth of a large glass.

Part V – Put The Filling In The Center Of Each Circle

Part VI – Pull The Edges Together To Form The Polish Empanada

This step is very similar to making pierogi. Pull the edges of the dough together such that they cover the filling. Make sure that they seal tight. This will prevent the filling from leaking. The best way to prevent any leaks is to pinch tightly as you form the seal.

Part VII – Collect The Dough Scraps

Collect all the remaining dough scraps and add them to the other two dough balls. Repeat the entire process with the other dough balls till the dough is over.

Part VIII – Place The Polish Empanadas On Baking Trays Lined With Parchment Paper

Line baking trays with parchment paper. Place the Polish empanadas on the parchment lining. This will prevent them from sticking to the tray when baking. Brush each of them with egg wash.

Place the Polish empanada on a parchment lined baking tray.

Part IX – Bake For 50 Minutes

Part X – Serve The Polish Empanadas Cold Or Warm

FAQs About The Baked Pierogi Recipe

I Don’t Have A Cookie Cutter What Should I Do?

If you don’t have a cookie cutter, don’t worry. Use the mouth of a large glass to cut the circles instead. You can also choose to use a pierogi molder.

Is There A Particular Technique When It Comes To Frying The Polish Empanadas?

Frying Polish empanadas is really simple. First off you will need a deep pan or a wok because you need to deep fry them. Make sure to fry the empanadas for 3-5 minutes on each side. I would recommend placing them on a tissue paper post to drain off the excess oil.

How Are The Baked Pierogi Served?

Polish empanadas are served either warm or cold. Usually, they are served with a dipping sauce. Ketchup, mustard, and garlic sauce are popular favorites. They can also be eaten without a dipping sauce.

Yield: 18 empanadas

Polish Empanadas Recipe - Yeast Pierogi With Kiełbasa

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

Filling

1 large Polish sausage link (14 oz/400g)
1 large onion
½ tsp of salt
1 tsp of sweet paprika powder
½ tsp of black pepper
1 tbsp of oil

Dough

3 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tbsps of instant yeast
½ cup of warm milk (or plant-based milk)
½ cup of warm water
3 tbsps of oil
a pinch of salt

Others

egg wash to brush empanadas

Instructions

Make The Dough

Knead the dough using all the ingredients. You can do it with your hand or food processor.
Place the dough in the big bowl, then cover it with a clean kitchen cloth.
Place the bowl in a warm place and wait for 60-90 minutes until it doubles its size.

Make The Filling

Peel and finely chop an onion.
Finely dice the sausage.
Fry the sausage and onion with oil, then season with spices.

Assemble And Bake Polish Empanadas

Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C).
Divide the dough into 2 or 3 pieces.
Roll each part of the dough. Make it thick to make sure the filling won't leak during baking.
Use a glass or large cookie cutter to cut the circles from the dough.
Put the filling in the center of each circle.
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 the pierogi will fall apart during baking. Pinch tightly.
Collect the remaining dough scraps and put them into the other 2 dough pieces. Repeat the process until the entire dough and all the filling are used.
Place pierogi on the baking trays lined with parchment paper. Brush with egg wash.
Bake for 50 minutes.
Serve Polish empanadas cold or warm.

Notes

You may deep-fry Polish empanadas, for 3-5 minutes on each side.
Polish empanadas taste good with sauce (for example garlic sauce), ketchup, or mustard.