Cheese & Bacon Perogies

To make the dough, sift together the flour and salt in a medium bowl. Add the egg and water and knead lightly until a soft ball forms. Cover with a lid and set aside.

Cut up the potatoes into cubes and place in a pot of boiling salted water. Boil the potatoes until soft, then drain the water, and mash the potatoes. I like to keep the skins on them, but if you prefer you can peel the potatoes before boiling.

While the potatoes are boiling, grate the cheddar and cook the bacon in a frying pan. Allow the bacon to cool on some paper towels (to remove the excess grease), and chop the bacon into small pieces.

Add the cheese and bacon to the mashed potatoes and mix well. Feel free to add more or less cheese and bacon, it’s all personal preference!

Place the ball of dough on a lightly floured surface, and roll until it is thin. I don’t have a biscuit cutter, so I cut out round circles with an inverted glass, but a biscuit cutter might work even better.

Hold the circle of dough in the palm of your hand, and place about a teaspoon of filling in the middle. Stretch the dough over the filling until a half-moon shape is formed, and pinch the edges of the dough together. If the dough doesn’t appear to be sealing well, just run a wet finger along the edge, it works like a charm!

Lay the finished perogi on a dry kitchen towel, and cover with a second towel until ready to cook.

To cook, drop the perogies in boiling water for about 4 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon to allow the excess water to drain off. Place in a bowl or serving dish with some butter to prevent the cooked perogies from sticking together.

Serve with butter, sour cream, green onions, chives, anything!

This recipe makes approximately 30 perogies, and they freeze really well.