BABA'S HOMESTYLE PEROGIES' POTATO & CHEDDAR PEROGIES

Time: 3-4 hours* + 1-2 hours to chill

Filling:

❚ 5 lb red potatoes, peeled and diced medium

❚ 2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

❚ 1/2 tsp ground black pepper

❚ Salt, to taste

❚ Cooked bacon, fried onions, cottage cheese, or fresh or dried dill (optional)**

Dough:

❚ 2 cups hot water

❚ 2 tbsp canola oil

❚ 2 tsp salt

❚ 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour***

Garnish:

❚ Margarine or butter

❚ Cooked bacon, fried onions, sour cream, or mushroom dill sauce (optional)

Make the filling:

1. Place the potatoes in a large pot with enough salted water to cover them and bring to a boil over high heat. Once it's boiling, turn down the heat to medium and cook the potatoes until they are very soft, 20-25 minutes.

2. Drain the water and transfer the potatoes to a large bowl. Add the cheese and pepper, and then, using a potato masher, mash everything together until the mixture is smooth and all the lumps are removed. (Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment for this step, mixing the potatoes on low speed until smooth.)

3. Taste the filling to ensure it is seasoned to your liking. If needed, add a bit of salt or more pepper to taste. If you are using any optional filling additions, add them to the bowl now and mix until they are fully incorporated into the potato mixture.

4. Let the filling cool slightly, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate to chill completely, 1-2 hours. (Alternatively, you can make the filling ahead of time and let it chill in the fridge overnight.)

Make the dough:

1. If using a stand mixer: Place the hot water, oil and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Stir to combine and then add the flour. Mix the dough on medium speed until it has formed a solid dough ball, 2-3 minutes. The dough should be smooth and not sticky or wet, so if needed, add about 1 tablespoon more flour at a time to reach the desired consistency.

2. If mixing by hand: Place the hot water, oil and salt in a large bowl. Stir to combine and then add the flour to the bowl in 3 additions. Mix together with a wooden spoon after each of the first 2 additions, and then use your hands to mix in the final addition. Once all the flour has been added, knead the dough in the bowl until it is well mixed and forms a solid dough ball, about 5 minutes. The dough should be smooth and not sticky or wet, so if needed, add about 1 tablespoon more flour at a time to reach the desired consistency.

3. Lightly flour a clean surface and cover 3-4 rimmed baking sheets with clean dishtowels.

4. Cut off a quarter of the dough and cover the remaining dough with plastic wrap or a lid while it is not in use. Using wellfloured hands, knead the dough 2 to 3 times on a clean surface, dusting with flour as needed.

5. Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to an 1/8-inch thickness.

6. Using a small cup, cookie cutter, or pastry cutter (about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter), cut circles out of the dough. Place the circles on a clean, floured surface, or on the baking sheets. Do not lay them on top of each other as they may stick.

7. Remove the perogy filling from the fridge. Take 1 dough circle and stretch it in your hand to create a small oval-shaped pocket. Hold the dough in one hand and fill it with about 1 tablespoon of filling. You may need to use less than 1 tablespoon depending on how large your dough circles are. Be careful not to overfill, as it will be difficult to seal the perogy. Use your finger to guide the potato filling inside as you fold the dough in half around the filling, pinching firmly but gently along the edges with your thumb and index finger. Ensure no filling is coming out of the sides and that the perogy is well sealed.

8. Lay the completed perogy on one of the dishtowel-lined rimmed baking sheets. Be sure to space the completed perogies evenly apart so they are not overlapping.

9. Repeat with the remaining dough, working with one quarter of the dough at a time. You can work any dough scraps back into the dough to incorporate them.

10. The perogies can be cooked immediately or frozen. To freeze the perogies, first freeze them overnight on the baking sheets, uncovered, and then transfer them to large freezer storage bags. They can be kept frozen for up to 6 months and then cooked directly from frozen.

To cook:

1. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat.

2. Add 24-36 fresh or frozen perogies to the pot and stir gently, ensuring that the perogies do not stick to each other. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot.

3. Cook the perogies at a rolling boil. Once they float to the top of the water, wait 1 more minute, and then, using a slotted spoon, remove them from the water. The total cooking time is 3-4 minutes for fresh perogies, or about 7 minutes for frozen.

4. Place the cooked perogies in a large casserole dish with a generous helping of butter to ensure they do not stick together. If you are cooking several dozen perogies at one time, keep the cooked perogies covered and/or place them in the oven preheated to its lowest temperature. Once all the perogies are cooked, they can be served immediately with any optional garnishes. (Alternatively, you can transfer them to a large frying pan and fry them over medium heat in butter until golden brown, 3-5 minutes.) Makes: about 100 perogies

* The time variation accounts for how many people are involved in the perogy pinching. Many hands make light work!

** These options can be added to the perogy filling to taste. If you're adding cooked bacon or fried onions, try using 1/2 cup to 1 cup. For a potato and cottage cheese filling, omit the shredded cheddar cheese and use 6 cups dry cottage cheese. Fresh or dried dill can be added at about 2 tablespoons per batch.

*** When measuring the flour, make sure to spoon it and not pack it tightly in the measuring cup.

Tip: You may have a little bit of perogy filling left over, especially if you added any optional additions to the filling. Leftover filling makes for great whipped potatoes or can be added to dishes like a casserole or shepherd's pie.