Pierogi's YUM YUM YUM

Ok...so I've been watching a lot of Gossip Girl lately (I don't want to talk about it) and I've pretty much fallen in love with Dan Humphrey (conveniently played by the very attractive Penn Badgley). ANYWAYS! Dan eats a lot of pierogi's so I was thinking...well...you know...

RECIPE:

The dough:
2.5 cups of flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
2 tbs sour cream
1/2 cup warm water

I sifted the flour and then just added the ingredients to a bowl and mixed it with my hands. Eventually I added more of everything because I wanted to have enough dough to make two kinds of pierogis. This batch made me about 30 pierogies. When the dough is mixed knead it a few times and cover it. Let it sit for 30 minutes. YOUR DOUGH WILL BE STICKY! THIS IS A GOOD THING! YOU WILL NEED TO ROLL IT OUT ON FLOUR OR IT WILL STICK TO YOUR SURFACES!

While dough is relaxing, start on your fillings!

Meat&Potato filling (will make any man happy)
5 potatoes
1 polish sausage
2 shallots
butter

mince your shallots and let them turn translucent in the butter in a frying pan. Cut the polish sausage into little cubes and let brown with shallots and butter. Peel, dice, and boil potatoes, then mash WITHOUT adding liquid. When meat mixture is done browning, add potatoes and take off heat. ADD SALT AND PEPPER!!!

Sauerkraut filling (for those of us with a sophisticated palate)
1 jar of sauerkraut
1 onion
1 tbs sugar
butter

brown and dice your onion in the butter in a frying pan. Rinse your sauerkraut until it has the right amount of twang to it, but leave a little more than you might want you will want to taste SOMETHING! When onion is translucent add the rinsed sauerkraut and sugar to the pan, let it fry until brown.

TO FORM THE PIEROGI:
roll out dough until it is 1/16 of an inch thick. Yes, the thickness is important if you want it to cook right. Cut your pierogi circles so they are 3.5-4 inches in diameter (I used a cup).

Place a little filling on each circle. Dip your finger in cold water and run it along 1/2 of the edge of the pierogi. Fold it together and pinch the edges MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE COMPLETELY CLOSED AND NO FILLING IS STICKING OUT. This would result in you losing the filling. (sad face). If you are worried that the pierogi might not be thick enough, just dip it in the flour, it will survive.

Place pierogi's into boiling water for 12 minutes to let them cook, stirring every 5 minutes. When they come out they will be a little rubbery. If you like them with this texture, go right ahead and eat!

IF NOT...

I deep fried mine (hey I'm American, after all)

Pour some vegetable oil into a pot and let it boil. When it gets to be about 350 degrees drop them in and let them sit for 20-40 seconds or until crispy golden brown. This gives the pierogi a nice crunch texture.