Instead of reheating those Thanksgiving mashed potatoes, I consider them a head start to pierogies. Paired with the leftover rando cheese, these dumplings can be frozen for a future quick dinner or finished with some miscellaneous herbs or greens and butter for a casual post-holiday dinner. I prefer to make these using a pasta machine and large ravioli molds, but you can certainly make these into the traditional pierogi shape or really any type of ravioli or filled pasta.
ingredients
yields 20 large raviolis or 24 pierogies
for filling
1 Ounce (2 tablespoons) Unsalted Butter or Oil
5-7 oz (1 medium to large) Onion, finely chopped
1 Pound Leftover Mashed Potatoes
6 oz Semi-hard Cheese of choice, such as cheddar, Havarti, gouda, or Swiss, shredded
Fresh herbs, such as chives or parsley, to taste, optional
Salt and pepper, to taste
dough
12.5 ounces (about 2 1/2 cups) All Purpose Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Table Salt
8 oz (1 cup) Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream
1 large egg
to finish
4 Tablespoons Salted Butter
Fresh herbs such as sage, parsley, thyme or chives, optional
1 Teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice, optional, to taste
deviations & tips
Any cheese tastes great with potatoes and onion, but with stronger cheeses such as asiago or gruyere, just be sure to add cheese to taste, and use care when salting.
Fresh herbs or greens can be added too.
Be sure that the filling tastes great on its own before nestling it into the pasta.
the method
Whisk together flour and salt and transfer to food processor. Add yogurt or sour cream and egg. Process until a ball forms and leave run for about a minute. If the dough is sticking too much to the work bowl, sprinkle in more flour. If it's too dry and not holding together, a little water can be added. Alternatively, you can either knead by hand or in a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook for about 6-8 minutes. Wrap dough in plastic and let rest for 30-60 minutes.
In a small to medium skillet, heat butter or oil over medium heat. Add onion, sprinkle with a little salt, and saute for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. If the onions start to stick, add a little water to deglaze and continue to cook. Don’t skimp on this step; the pierogies get a lot of their flavor from the golden onions. Set aside. If your mashed potatoes are chunky, use a potato masher or food processor to achieve a more uniform consistency. Add to onion mixture and mix well. Fold in cheese and any herbs. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to refrigerator until ready to use.
Cook until golden.
Once dough is rested, turn out onto a lightly floured surface. If using a pasta machine, roll a quarter of the dough at a time to the #3 or #4 setting on an Atlas pasta machine; flour dough as needed while rolling. You want it to be just big enough to cover your ravioli mold. If using a large ravioli mold, fill each cavity with a little over an ounce of filling.
Alternatively, on a floured surface, roll dough into a roughly 18-inch circle, a little less than 1/8-inch thick. Use a 3-inch cookie cutter to punch out 24 circles. Divide filling into 24 portions. Place one portion of filling in the center of each circle, fold dough over to create a half-moon and seal.
Use right away, refrigerate for up to 24 hours, or freeze flat on trays.
Filling will be heaping
Pierogies made in large ravioli molds
To cook, in a large pot, add 4 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of table salt. Heat on high to boil. Add pierogies and cook and the filling is heated through, about 3 to 5 minutes for fresh or refrigerated pierogi. Using a skimmer or large slotted spoon. Transfer to a lightly greased plate or baking sheet. Set aside. Reserve about a cup of pasta water.
Heat butter or oil in a large skillet or saute pan. Cook butter over medium until browned. Add herbs or greens cook for about a minute or so or until fragrant and just wilted. Add splash of reserved pasta water and lemon juice. Sprinkle with a little pepper to taste. Reduce heat to low and add pierogi. Cook for just a couple minutes or until sauce slightly thickens. If pierogies get too dry, add a splash of pasta water. Serve topped with fresh herbs if desired. Enjoy!