I have a brother that lived in Poland for a couple of years who got me hooked on Polish pierogi. I also LOVE Japanese gyoza (a sort of potsticker type dumpling). I decided to combine the ease of making gyoza with some of the flavors of pierogi, and the result is the following recipe for "Pieroza". I would love to hear if anyone makes them and what they think!
Fuji Mama's “PIEROZA”
-1 ½ lbs. baking potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
-4 to 5 tablespoons butter + a little extra to melt and drizzle over the dumplings (I was able to make do with just 3 Tbsp. butter in a non-stick pan)
-3 onions, finely chopped
-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
-1 to 2 cups grated cheddar cheese (optional—I did half with, and half without)
-Salt and black pepper to taste
-2 to 3 pkg. of round gyoza (pot sticker) wrappers (if square—cut using biscuit cutter)
-To serve: 3 to 5 green onions, thinly sliced or ¼ cup chopped chives or 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley or additional fried onions (see note below); sour cream, melted butter or vinegar to serve
1. Cook the potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water until just tender. Drain and set aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large heavy frying pan and cook the onions until they soften, then add the minced garlic. Cook until the onions are lightly brown, darkly browned in spots.
3. Mash the potatoes in a bowl then mix in the onions and their cooking butter. Add cheese, if using. Season generously with salt and pepper.
4. Working on 1 at a time, brush the edge of the round wrapper with water and place a spoonful of filling in the center. Fold dumpling in half, pressing the edges together to thoroughly seal. Place each dumpling on a parchment or waxed paper lined baking sheet and repeat until all filling has been used.
6. Chill in the refrigerator if you are making them ahead of time. If you wish to freeze the dumplings for later use, make sure they are not touching, then freeze them until solid and later gather them into a freezer bag. This ensures that you will avoid having one mega-pieroza clump when you are ready to cook them.
7. To cook the pieroza: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and the dumplings one at a time, until the surface of the pan is covered with dumplings. Do not overcrowd; you will have to work in batches. When they are done, about 2-3 minutes, remove with a slotted spoon.
8. Transfer to a plate or bowl and serve sprinkled with green onions, parsley or chives, drizzled with a little melted butter or vinegar or topped with a dab of sour cream.
- Alternatively, you can pan-brown the pieroza. Heat some oil in a heavy frying pan and add dumplings in a single layer. When they are golden and in spots, browned, turn and brown other side. Add enough water to reach about ¼ -- ½ inch in depth. Cover and cook 3-4 minutes; remove lid and check for doneness. When pieroza are tender but not mushy to the tooth, and the liquid is evaporated, they are ready.
- Note: To make fried onions, sauté 2 to 3 thinly sliced onions, in butter in a heavy frying pan until they are limp and lightly browned; add several tablespoons water and cook until the onions are soft and silky, the liquid mostly evaporated. Season with salt and pepper.
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