When I think of my family, I almost always think of food. I don’t know if that says more about me or if we are all just incredibly food-oriented.
I think it’s the latter, but this week’s recipe is maybe a case for the former.
Though I’ve never been to Poland or even really raised with traditional Polish foods, I’ve always been fond of the things that remind me of my maternal grandma’s familial homeland. I’ve written about my family dumplings, the one sorta traditional recipe that did pass down.
But when I’ve made bialys or used pierogies in other recipes, I’ve always felt like Grandma Verbrugge was with me in spirit.
Well, Grandma is gone now, leaving us this past Christmas, so I have been even more in want of a connection. Enter a recipe from the Food Network that is pierogies—but without the frustrating experience of filling dough and hoping it all stays intact.
I won’t lie, it’s not totally without effort, but like any wonderful dish that comes together and offers comfort, it was more than worth it. Maybe that’s why a good meal is like family.
Here’s what I did, more or less sticking with the original recipe from an Iron Chef fave Michael Symon.
Here’s what I did:
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 egg
- 8 T. softened butter, plus more for greasing the 9 x 13
- ¾ c. sour cream, plus more for serving
- 1 T. chopped chives (I used freeze dried, though fresh is called for), plus more for serving
- 1 t. salt
- 2 c. all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough
For the filling:
- 2 lb. potatoes, cut into large chunks
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 c. heavy cream, heated until hot
- 8 T. cold butter
- 1 small container (about 15 oz.) ricotta cheese
- 1 T. olive oil
- 1 lb. bacon, chopped
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced
- 1 ½ c. shredded Gruyere
Directions
For the dough preparation:
Combine the egg, butter, sour cream, chives, and salt with your hands in a medium bowl. Add the flour and mix with your hands until a dough forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least two hours and up to a couple days.
For the filling:
Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of cold water. Bring to a boil, season with salt, and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook until a knife easily pierces the potatoes. Drain and return to the pot and mash the potatoes, slowly mixing in the hot cream and cold butter. Add in the ricotta, and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Warm the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the bacon, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions, and toss to coat with the bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until the onions are caramelized and sweet. Let cool.
For the casserole/To finish:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a 9 x 13 in. casserole dish. Roll out the pierogi dough on a lightly floured surface to a ⅛ in. thick rectangle, and cut into 4 x 13 inch strips (kinda like lasagna), rolling scraps as necessary. You’ll need about 12 strips (the original called for more, but I couldn’t make it work, and mine turned out fine).
To assemble the casserole, arrange one layer of pierogi dough strips on the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping the edges of the strips.
Spread about half the potatoes on the dough. Top with onions, bacon, and a sprinkling of Gruyere. Place another layer of dough strips, and repeat the filling layers, finishing with the dough, followed by a little more Gruyere and some pepper.
Bake until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese on top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let rest about 15 minutes, serve with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of chives, and enjoy!
