Pierogi dough with flour, water, and egg

Tip: tap a step to mark it as done.

1. Sift the flour and make a well in the center. Whisk the water with the egg and salt, pour into the well, and mix thoroughly.

2. Use only cold water for the dough; otherwise, it will be too stiff and difficult to roll out. For best results, knead by hand until smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky. Knead until the dough springs back when pressed with a finger.

3. Juicy ground meat filling

   For best results, run the meat through a meat grinder together with the finely chopped onion. Add broth or milk to make the filling juicy and slightly loose. Finally, season with salt and pepper.

   

4. Roll out the dough

   Properly prepared dough should roll out easily. Dust with as little flour as possible, since extra flour affects the tenderness of the dumplings and makes the edges harder to seal. Roll the dough no thinner than 2 mm, working with a smaller sheet rather than a large one.

5. Fill and seal

   Use a glass to cut out as many rounds as possible. Place about 1 tsp of ground meat on each round, leaving enough room to fold over the edges. Place the meat on the side of the dough that was touching the work surface.

6. Do not press on the center, so the filling does not leak out during cooking. Freeze the pierogi, then cook them in boiling water over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If desired, add a bay leaf or allspice to the water, and serve with a sauce of your choice.

Tip: To freeze the pierogi, arrange them on a flour-dusted tray without letting them touch, then transfer them to a bag once frozen solid so they do not stick together. Add them to boiling water straight from the freezer, without thawing.

This recipe was translated from the Slovak original: Cesto na pirohy z múky, vody, vajca a soli