Paszteciki / pierogi drożdżowe



Pierogi with sauerkraut and mushrooms.
Own source.

Making some mess equals FUN!
Own source.

Who doesn't like pastries?
They make a great grab'n'go snack and they are wonderful sweet or spicy!

Recently, I made some pastries with sauerkraut and mushrooms. I needed typical Polish dish for Christmas Eve and that was it! In Poland, pastries with different spicy fillings are called "paszteciki". They can be filled with sauerkraut/mushrooms, meat, lentils, spinach & feta cheese... whatever sounds good for you.
I shaped my pastries like "pierogi", but they can be also rectangular, square or triangular in shape. The choice is yours.
Please note:
* rectangular, square, triangular pastries are called "paszteciki"
* round, folded in half are called "pierogi"
* made of yeast dough are called "drożdżowe"
* full name: "paszteciki drożdżowe" and "pierogi drożdżowe"

Recipe for paszteciki:

4 cups (250 mL) flour,
7 g instant yeast,
pinch of salt,
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil,
1 cup warm water.

• Mix dry ingredients first, add oil and warm water, stir in quickly and knead a dough.
• Form a ball, set aside and let rise approximately for an hour.
• Sprinkle the surface with some flour. Roll the dough using a rolling pin until 3 mm thick.
• Cut circles using a cookie cutter or a glass. Put one 1 Tbsp of your favorite filling (or more if you can) in the middle of each circle and fold pierogi into halves connecting the edges.
• Brush pierogi with an egg wash - mix a yolk with 1 Tbsp water.
• Bake at 375° F for 20 min. 

Fillings:

You can find out how to prepare different fillings for "paszteciki/pierogi" here.

I cooked sauerkraut (1 lb) with 1 cup water, added chopped fried onion, mushrooms, 2-3 Tbsp butter, 3 bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste, and some Polish "seasoning for sauerkraut" (don't worry if you don't have the seasoning).

I cooked everything for approximately 2 hours, adding water and allowing it to evaporate. Sauerkraut should be chopped before or after cooking.

*** If you don't have time to make yeast dough, frozen puff pastry can be a great substitute. 

Enjoy!

Smacznego!