Please have snow, and mistletoe, and presents under the tree...
As you may have gathered, I was home for Christmas only in my dreams. As the day(s) quickly approached, an overbearing sense of gloom and loneliness set in. I knew the only way to banish these feelings would be to battle them with food. I invited a few friends over, made way too much to eat, even for us enthusiasts (read:fatties), sampled my homemade, very boozy limoncello, and let Mr. Cole and Sinatra serenade our night to a satisfying conclusion. Like Thanksgiving, it was hard for me to picture Christmas without the typical gift-giving, tree-trimming, family bonding time that I'm used to. But. Christmas happened all the same. To quote the venerable Dr. Seuss, "
“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”
Obviously, I do not have termites in my soul, however, it did take a little searching in there to come to this conclusion. So, as we approach the new year, I encourage all of you to appreciate what you have and to make the best of every situation. My next post will most likely be my last one from Italy, so get ready for some big changes around here!
(Blurry Pierogies)
(Followed by blurry latkes)
(Friends celebrating St. Stephen's Feast day)
(Charlie Brown Christmas tree)
(The Alps are alive with the sound of muuuuusssssic)
Pierogies
Pierogies are Polish dumplings that are normally filled with potato and can also include cheese and meat. The Italians called them "Polish Ravioli". Surprised face. Anyway, it's best to make the dough first. Start by making a well in the flour and add the egg and sour cream. Add a pinch of salt and start to bring the mixture together with a fork. Now, slowly add the lukewarm water until it is incorporated. The dough will be sticky, but it will take in a little extra flour as you're rolling, so don't fret. Let the dough rest for at least half an hour, loosely covered.
The filling is also brutally simple. Peel, cube, and boil 2-3 large potatoes in salted water until they are fork tender. Drain the water and mash the potatoes with some grated cheese (I used provolone, because hey, I'm in Italy) and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Now is a good time to start cooking down your onions to go with the pierogies. I forgot about this little bit and ended up frying our onions in leftover latke oil which was still screaming hot. Not only did they cook faster, but I also got to add more fried food to my already INCREDIBLY healthy diet. Normally, all you need to do is slice the onions and saute them with some butter, salt, and pepper until they cook down to golden morsels.
Flour your work surface and choose a round glass or cookie cutter that has roughly a 3 inch diameter. Liberally flour the dough and rolling pin (or wine bottle if you're classy like me) and cut out the rounds. Fill each round with about a tablespoon of potato mixture and crimp the dough into a half-moon shape with a fork. Place the now finished pierogie onto a waxed or floured surface as they will stick to everything, especially each other.
Cooking the pierogies is a two-step process. First, the dumplings need to be boiled, or rather, simmered at a high heat. I feel like a rolling boil can be too harsh for the dough. After they have been partially cooked in the water (they will float to the top and ask to be taken out of the pool when they are ready), they are pan fried, like Asian dumplings. At this point, I put rude amounts of butter into the pan and reintroduce the onions to the party. When the pierogies start to get a nice golden color and have crisped a bit, they are finished! Serve them warm with sour cream (mandatory) and apple sauce, if you like. Luckily, latkes also like these additions. Consider eating them together and then dying.
Note: I know that this can seem like a lot of work, and it is. Three of us put a good bit of time and effort into these lovelies. Luckily, they freeze very well. Place the (uncooked) pierogies on a sheet tray and freeze them flat. After they have frozen, you can transfer them into a bag and they will last for a lifetime. Just joshin, but I can't give a definitive time because mine never last long enough to be frozen.
Recipe
Adapted from Noble Pig
Makes around 23-25 pierogies
Dough
2-1/2 c unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
3 Tbsp regular sour cream
3/4 c lukewarm water
Filling
2-3 large Russet potatoes (peeled and cubed)
3/4 c grated cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Onions
3-4 large onions, sliced into rings
2 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper
1 tsp salt
1 large egg
3 Tbsp regular sour cream
3/4 c lukewarm water
