-
1
Dough-
-
2
Beat together 6 large eggs in heavy mixer until lemon yellow colored.
-
3
Add 2 teaspoons salt, oil, and milk on low speed until well combined.
-
4
Adding 1 to 1/2 cup at a time, add a total of 4 1/2 cups of flour.
-
5
The dough will be VERY sticky.
-
6
Generously flour counter top (and remove rings from fingers!)
-
7
and turn out dough.
-
8
Knead lightly, adding up to 1 1/2 cups of additional flour as you go.
-
9
Dough should be moist, but not sticky.
-
10
(It will not hold its shape like traditional bread dough does.)
-
11
Let dough stand at room temperature in a greased bowl for 2 to 3 hours.
-
12
Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling dough to form the dumplings.
-
13
Make the meat filling while dough is resting.
-
14
Filling-
-
15
Combine in large bowl, ground meat, finely chopped onion, crushed garlic, salt, black pepper, cumin, allspice, and the 2 remaining eggs.
-
16
You will end up with a meatloaf looking mixture.
-
17
In large saucepan, fry (without additional oil) the meat mixture until lightly browned and fairly dry.
-
18
Stir constantly you want this mixture to be free of chunks and fairly loose.
-
19
Refrigerate meat filling until at least room temperature.
-
20
You want to be able to handle the meat without burning yourself.
-
21
Filling the Pierogies-
-
22
(The best approach is to cut a few rounds of dough, fill them and set aside on waxed paper... repeat until all meat filling is used.
-
23
This is messy and time consuming but so very worth it.
-
24
You will probably have some left over dough.)
-
25
Roll dough onto a well floured surface until 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick.
-
26
Cut dough into 3 rounds.
-
27
(I use an inverted coffee cup.)
-
28
Heres where it gets messy.
-
29
Using approximately 1 rounded teaspoon of meat filling, which you have sqeezed together in a ball shape, place on 1/2 of a dough round that has been lightly dusted with flour if it is too sticky to handle.
-
30
Fold the other half of the dough circle over the top of the meat filling to meet the other side, trying not to stretch the dough too much.
-
31
Crimp edges of dumpling with fork tines as if you were finishing a pie crust.
-
32
You should end up with a half moon shaped stuffed dumpling with no breaks along the opened edge.
-
33
Feel free to freeze the dumplings at this time if you choose.
-
34
Make sure they are separated by layers of waxed paper.
-
35
They will keep in an airtight container for up to three months.
-
36
Cooking-
-
37
Cook dumplings (a few at a time) in simmering water for 6 minutes.
-
38
Scoop dumplings out, allow excess water to drain, and fry in butter until lightly browned and crispy on both sides.
-
39
Serve immediately with mounds of sauteed onions, and sour cream with a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper.
