Sauerkraut Pierogis

Sauerkraut Pierogis

Makes 30 pierogis

(Poland)

Every country has its own version of a dumpling,  basically cooked balls of dough made of flour, potatoes, bread or matzoh containing meats, seafood, vegetables or sweets.  The Italians lay claim to  ravioli , the Chinese to potstickers, Indians to Somosas, and the Polish to Pierogis.  There are probably as many different recipes for Pierogis as there are Polish families, this recipe is my (Italian) interpretation.  A genuine Polish friend of mine says  the only way to eat Pierogis is lightly fried in bacon grease  and topped with bacon crumbles, and  golden, caramelized onions "Co jest nie tak!" (What's not to like!)  . . .  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Dough:

 2 1/2  cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
1 egg, lightly whisked
1/2 teaspoon butter, softened
1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature

 1/2 cup warm water

Filling:

   1 1/4 pounds medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, quartered and boiled in heavily salted water until fork tender

   1 teaspoons butter

   1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained

   1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, grated

   1/4 teaspoon salt

   1/4 teaspoon black pepper

   1 medium yellow onion, grated

Sauce:

   1 sticks butter, browned or clarified

Preparation

The dough:

1.  In a large mixing bowl, add flour, salt, sour cream, beaten egg, butter, water, and milk. With your hands mix together until dough forms a ball. Turn out on a floured board and knead until smooth. You may add a little more flour if necessary to make the dough pliable. 

2.  Divide dough into fourths. Put the pieces under a damp cloth, so it won't dry out. Roll the first piece to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness and using a 3-inch cookie cutter or a glass with a 3-inch rim cut out as many 3-inch “pierogi rounds” as possible. Put pierogi rounds under damp cloth while cutting the rest. 

 The filling:

1.   Drain the cooked potatoes and place in a large bowl.   Mash (or run through a ricer) the  hot, cooked potatoes. 

2.  Place the drained sauerkraut and the grated onion on a dry, clean kitchen towel, roll towel into a long cylinder squeezing out any excess liquid, remove from towel to a chopping board and roughly chop.  Add the chopped sauerkraut/onion to the hot mashed potatoes along with the cheddar cheese, salt and pepper and mix to thoroughly distribute the ingredients. The consistency of the mixture should be a little thicker than mashed potatoes.   You may add a little  milk if the mixture is too thick.  Allow filling to cool before proceeding to assembly.

Assembly of the pierogis:

1.  For each pierogi, place a scant 1 tablespoon of potato/sauerkraut/cheese mixture in the center of the dough circle. Fold over to form a half circle. Seal edges by pinching together with your fingers. Then take a fork and press all along the edges.  Place formed pierogi on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining  pierogi rounds and filling. 

Cooking the pierogis:

1.  Fill a large pot half full with water and bring to a boil. Drop 5 or 6 pierogis in at a time. Cook each batch for about 1 minute, the pierogi are done when they float to the top.

2.  When they float to the top, remove from pot with a slotted spoons,  place in a colander to drain.  Add the next batch of 5 or 6 pierogis.  Continue in this manner until all the pierogis have been boiled.

Serving the pierogis:

1. In a small sauce pan over medium heat melt and brown the butter and add the finely chopped onion. Cook the butter until it browns and the finely chopped onions are softened.

2. Coat a serving platter with 1/2 the browned butter, arrange the Pierogi on the platter, drizzle the remaining brown butter over them and season with coarse Kosher or sea salt. Serve hot.

Potato Pierogis

Potato Pierogis

Makes 30 pierogis

(Poland)

Every country has its own version of dumpling.  Basically cooked balls of dough made of flour, potatoes, bread or matzoh containing meats, seafood, vegetables or sweets.  the Italians lay claim to  ravioli , the Chinese to potstickers, Indians to Somosas, and the Polish to Pierogis.  There are probably as many different recipes for Pierogis as there are Polish families, this recipe is my (Italian) interpretation.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

Dough:

2 1/2  cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature

1 egg, lightly whisked

1/2 teaspoon butter, softened

1/2 cup whole milk, room temperature

1/2 cup warm water

Filling:

2 1/2 pounds medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, quartered and boiled in heavily salted water until fork tender
2 teaspoons butter
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 large onion, finely chopped

Sauce:

   1 sticks butter, browned or clarified

Additional ingredients for frying:

1 large onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons butter  for frying 

Preparation

 The dough:

1.  In a large mixing bowl, add flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, sour cream, the beaten egg, 1/2 teaspoon of softened butter, water, and milk. With your hands mix together until dough forms a ball. Turn out on a floured board and knead until smooth. You may add a little more flour if necessary to make the dough pliable.

2.  Divide dough into fourths. Put the pieces under a damp cloth, so it won't dry out. Roll the first piece to 1/8 to 1/4-inch thickness and using a 3-inch cookie cutter or a glass with a 3-inch rim cut out as many 3-inch “pierogi rounds” as possible. Put pierogi rounds under damp cloth while cutting the rest.


 The filling:

1.   Drain the cooked potatoes and place in a large bowl.   Mash (or run through a ricer) the  hot, cooked potatoes.

2.  In a large sauté pan, lightly sauté the grated onion in 2 teaspoons of  butter and add this to the hot mashed potatoes along with the cheddar cheese,  1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper. The consistency of the mixture should be a little thicker than mashed potatoes.   You may add a little  milk if the mixture is too thick.  Allow filling to cool before proceeding to assembly.

Assembly of the pierogis:

1.  For each pierogis, place 1 1/2 tablespoons of potato mixture in the center of the dough circle. Fold over to form a half circle. Seal edges by pinching together with your fingers. Then take a fork and press all along the edges. Place formed pierogi on a lightly greased cookie sheet.  Repeat with remaining  pierogi rounds and filling.

Cooking the pierogis:

1.  Fill a large pot half full with water and bring to a boil. Drop 5 or 6 pierogis in at a time. Cook each batch for about 1 minute, the pierogi are done when they float to the top.

Serving the pierogis:

1.  1.  In a small sauce pan over medium heat melt 1 stick (about 8 teaspoons) of butter and add the finely chopped onion.  Cook the butter until it browns and the finely chopped onions softened.

2.  Coat a serving platter with 1/2 the browned butter, arrange the Pierogi on the platter, drizzle the remaining brown butter over them and season with coarse  Kosher or sea salt.  Serve hot.

Carne di Maiale Marsala

Carne di Maiale Marsala

(Pork Marsala)

4 servings

(Italy)

Veal has become more expensive and, in some areas, hard to get.  I developed this recipe so I could enjoy (mock) Veal Marsala without the expense.  If you follow the instructions for preparing the pork cutlets I think you'll agree it will take on the texture and subtle flavour of veal.

Ingredients

olive oil for frying

1 cup Marsala wine

2 tablespoons of butter

1 pound of mushroom, cleaned, stems intact and sliced

1 pound of thin cut pork cutlets (pork cutlets pounded to about 1/8-inch thick and soaked in milk for 1 hour)

 All-purpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper for dredging the pounded pork or chicken

3/4 cup chicken broth

Preparation

1.  Heat the butter in a skillet over medium and sauté the mushrooms until tender and nicely coloured.  Set aside.

2.  Dredge the veal in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess. 

3. Heat oil sufficient to sauté the chicken or pork in the skillet.  Add the chicken or pork and sauté for 1 minute per side. Remove to a platter. Cover with foil to keep warm.

4.  Add Marsala to the pan. Deglaze, then add chicken stock to the pan and let reduce and thicken.  If the sauce does not thicken add a 1:1 mixture of cornstarch and cold water (use 1 tablespoon each), stirring until it thickens. 

5.  When the sauce has begun to thicken, add the mushrooms and stir to mix in.

6.  Arrange the chicken or pork on a serving platter and pour the sauce and mushrooms over.  Serve immediately.

KFC© Type Cole Slaw

KFC^© Type Cole Slaw

makes 10 servings

(America)

Cole slaw is a slightly different form of salad because of the inclusion of butter milk in the recipe.   While many restaurants, especially fast food, serve a variation of cole slaw as a side dish, in my mind the king of commercial cole slaw is the version served in KFC^©  restaurants.  I found using a "Salad Shooter" and the grater blade produces the appropriate sized dice for the cabbage and the onions and the taste really benefits from allowing the slaw to mature for about 24 hours.  This recipe enables you to produce a very close  copy of that premiere slaw.

Ingredients

8 cups very finely diced cabbage (about 1 head)

1/4 cup julienned carrots which  have been very finely diced

2 tablespoons finely minced onion

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 tablespoons white vinegar

2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation

1.  Place the diced cabbage and carrot mixture into large bowl and add minced onions.

2.  Put the remaining ingredients in the processor bowl of  a food processor and process until a smooth dressing results.

3.  Pour the dressing over cabbage/carrot/onion mixture and mix thoroughly to insure a thorough distribution.

4.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or lid if bowl comes with one) and refrigerate several hours or, preferably, overnight before serving.

Crisp Carnitas Burritos

Crisp Carnitas Burritos

makes about 16 burritos

(America)

This is a real All-American Burrito . . . . All-American?  What could possibly be more All-American than Coke-Cola?  This adaption of Mexican carnitas uses coke as one of its main ingredients to create a truly delicious fried burrito.  Additionally, after removing the meat, adding lime juice, and thickening the remaining liquid with a corn starch slurry produces a great tasting dipping sauce.

 

Ingredients

for the carnitas:

 3-4 pound pork butt

2 tablespoons  vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste

1 12-ounce  can of coke (not diet)

2 cups orange juice

2 tablespoons  brown sugar

2 cups salsa, homemade or commercial

Kosher or sea salt, to taste

freshly ground  black pepper, to taste

Juice of 1 lime

thickening slurry composed of 2 tablespoons corn starch mixed into 2 tablespoons of COLD water

for the burritos:

16 medium flour tortilla shells

16 wooden tooth picks

vegetable oil for frying

Preparation

the carnitas:

the carnitas:

1.  Heat the vegetable oil in a deep, heavy frying pan  over medium-high heat. While it’s getting hot, rub the pork with salt and pepper.

2.  Gently place the pork in the hot oil and sear all sides until nicely browned.   Meanwhile in a large bowl  or large measuring cup combine the coke, the orange juice, the salsa, the cayenne, and the brown sugar and add it to a large slow cooker set to high.

3.  Remove the browned pork to the slow cooker containing the cooking liquid, cover and cook until the pork is literally falling apart when poked with a fork, about 2-3 hours.

4.  Remove the meat to a clean work surface and, when it is cool enough to handled,  shred it in a similar fashion to the way you would for pulled pork.

5.   Remove the liquid to a large sauce  pan over high heat, stir in the lime juice and bring to a boil.  When the sauce comes to a boil stir in the thickening slurry and continue stirring until the sauce thickens.  Correct seasoning with salt, black pepper, and cayenne.

6.   Remove the pan from the stove and transfer 3/4 of the thickened sauce to a serving dish, lower the heat to low and return the sauce pan containing the remaining 1/4 of the sauce to the heat, add the meat and stir to thoroughly coat the meat.  Turn off the burner under the pan.

constructing and frying the burritos:

1.  Working with one tortilla shell at a time, place a tortilla shell in front of you, spread about 3 or 4 tablespoons of the carnitas evenly over the surface of the shell and,  beginning at side closest to you, tightly roll the shell (jelly roll style) away from you until it is fully rolled up, push one toothpick through the roll pinning the loose end in place.   Continue until all the shells and carnitas are used up.

2.  Heat about 1/2-inch of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat until the ripple stage.

3.  Add 1 or 2 of the burritos to the hot oil and fry for about a minute on each side until each burrito is golden and crispy.  Remove the fried burritos to a paper towel lined dish to absorb excess oil.

4.  Serve the burritos immediately accompanied by the thickened  sauce and guacamole  for dunking.

constructing and frying the burritos:

1.  Working with one tortilla shell at a time, place a tortilla shell in front of you, spread about 3 or 4 tablespoons of the carnitas evenly over the surface of the shell and,  beginning at side closest to you, tightly roll the shell (jelly roll style) away from you until it is fully rolled up, push one toothpick through the roll pinning the loose end in place.   Continue until all the shells and carnitas are used up.

2.  Heat about 1/2-inch of vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium heat until the ripple stage.  

3.  Add 1 or 2 of the burritos to the hot oil and fry for about a minute on each side until each burrito is golden and crispy.  Remove the fried burritos to a paper towel lined dish to absorb excess oil.

4.  Serve the burritos immediately accompanied by the thickened  sauce and guacamole  for dunking.

New Orleans Stuffed Pizza Rustica

New Orleans Stuffed Pizza Rustica

serves 8

(America)

When we visited New Orleans several years ago we fell  in love with its signature sandwich, the Muffeletta at the Central Grocery on Decater Street,  we also love pizza of all  sorts.  This recipe is a homage to both; it is the marriage of the ingredients of a New Orleans Muffeletta sandwich (good Italian Cold Cuts, cheeses, and olive salad) and a Sicilian stuffed pizza.  All though we used mozzarella, provolone, Genoa salami, cappacola, pepperoni, and prosciutto ham you can use cold cuts of your choice and the quantities can also be  adjusted to your appetite.

 

Ingredients

pizza crusts:

1 cup warm (110 degrees F) water

1  envelope active dry yeast  

2 tablespoons sugar

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cup bread flour, plus additional for work surface

2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt

olive salad:

1 cup pimento-stuffed green olives, chopped

½ cup drained Kalamata olives, chopped

3 cloves garlic, crushed and chopped

2 tablespoons drained and rinsed capers

1 celery stalk, chopped

¼ cup marinated cocktail onions, roughly chopped

½ teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

¾ teaspoon ground black pepper

Kosher or sea salt, to taste

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¾ cup olive oil

filling:

11 (3 1/4-inch diameter) slices mozzarella or smoked mozzarella

11 (3 1/4-inch diameter) slices Genoa salami

11 (3 1/4-inch diameter) slices cappacola

11 (3 1/4-inch diameter) slices pepperoni

1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto ham

11 (3 1/4-inch diameter) slices deli-sliced provolone cheese

corn meal for the peel

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water

Preparation

pizza dough:

1.  In a 2 cup measuring cup, combine the water and sugar stir to combine and sprinkle the yeast over it. Let sit until the mixture is foamy, about 10 minutes.  If the yeast doesn't "proof" (get "foamy") pour it out and start again it is important to have a live yeast mixture.

2.  Meanwhile place the 2 cups of flour and the salt into a sifter and sift it into the medium bowl  of a stand mixer.  Make a well in the center of the flour and pour in the olive oil and the "proofed" yeast mixture.  Turn the mixer, fitted with dough hooks,  to high (labeled  knead on my mixer) and turn on.  Continue kneading (mixing) until the dough comes cleanly away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball around the dough hooks (scrap the sides of the bowl to move flour into the path of the hooks as needed).

3.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth but still slightly tacky (add flour gradually as needed to reach the slightly tacky state), 3 to 5 minutes. 

4.  Lightly oil a large mixing bowl with about 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil. Place the dough in the bowl and turn to oil the ball on all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap cloth and set in a warm, draft-free place until nearly doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

olive salad:

1.  In a medium bowl, mix together the olives, garlic, capers, celery, cocktail onions, celery seed, oregano, basil, vinegar, olive oil.   Correct seasoning with black pepper and salt.

2.  If not used immediately, transfer the mixture into a covered glass jar (or other covered, nonreactive container), and refrigerate otherwise cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside to marinate for at least 1 hour before using.

stuffed pizza construction:

1.  Place an appropriately sized pizza stone on the bottom (not on a shelf, putting the stone in contact with the oven bottom will allow it to get hotter and provide the SLIGHT charring on the bottom of the pizza that is the signature of a good Italian pizza) of your oven and pre-heat the oven to 450° F.

2.  Turn the dough out onto floured surface. Knead gently and shape into a 12-inch log. Cut the log into 2 equal pieces. Knead each piece into smooth ball, set one of the balls aside covered by inverted bowls to  keep it from drying out while working with the other.   

3.  Working with one of the dough balls at a time, place the dough ball  in front of you on  the lightly floured work surface and, with fingertips, press it into a disk of dough approximately 10 to 12 - inches round about 1/8 inch thick (if necessary use a rolling pin to achieve the 1/8-inch thickness [don’t worry if the pizza isn’t perfectly round . . . that’s called “rustica” and it’s the way “real” Italian pizza looks in Italy]). 

4.  Distribute some corn meal over the surface of a pizza peel (this will act as “ball bearings” and allow the dough round to move easily over the surface of the peel) and transfer the formed pizza base onto the peel; alternatively place the pizza base on a 12-inch round, metal pizza pan which has been previously sprinkled with some corn meal.

5.  Evenly distribute (spread) several tablespoons of the olive salad over the base leaving a clean 1-inch edge all around the pizza base.  Top this layer with the slices of salami, then the slices of provolone, then the slices of pepperoni, then the slices of mozzarella, then the slices of cappacola, and finally with the slices of prosciutto taking care of respect the 1-inch clean edge

.

 6.  Working with the remaining dough ball, place the it  in front of you on  the lightly floured work surface and again, with fingertips, press it into a disk of dough approximately the same size as the one created for the base and also about 1/8 inch thick (if necessary use a rolling pin to achieve the same 1/8-inch thickness.  

7.  Lightly brush  the 1-inch clean margin with some of the beaten  egg and carefully place this second disc over the first,  pressing and rolling the edge of  the stuffed pie to seal it.  Evenly brush the surface with some of  the egg wash.

8.  Gently shake the peel to insure the pizza moves freely (if it doesn’t gently lift the edges of the pizza and distribute additional corn meal until it does), using the peel slide the pizza onto the stone  or alternatively place  the round, metal  pizza pan into the oven (on the pizza stone or on the lower deck of the oven)  and bake the pizza until it turns golden brown and the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 20-25 minutes in a 450°F oven (keep an eye on the bottom of the pie . . . . slight charring is desirable heavy charring is burnt!).  Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes, then cut into eight wedges and serve accompanied by a  green salad.

Vegetable Samosas

Vegetable Samosas

Makes 48 Samosas

(India)

Samosas are delicious little Indian dumplings we first enjoyed at various Indian Restaurants while we lived in Southern California.  While you can  go to the trouble of making your own dumpling skins, commercial wan-ton skins do an excellent job and while the recipe calls for circular wan-ton  skins square ones are more  common.  The only trick here is to be sure that the potatoes are thoroughly cooked. 

Ingredients

48 3 1/4 x 3 1/4-inch Won Ton Wraps

vegetable filling:

4 tablespoons of Ghee*

1 pound of potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4 – inch dice

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

1 cup peeled and finely chopped yellow onions

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

2 teaspoons of Garam Marsala

1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

½ teaspoon of turmeric

2 teaspoons of lemon juice

1 cup of frozen peas, thawed

Kosher or sea salt, to taste

Preparation

vegetable filling:

1.  Heat a large frying over low heat and add the Ghee, potatoes, garlic, onion, and ginger.  Cover and cook on low for 10 minutes, stirring several times, to sweat the potatoes,  do not allow the potatoes to brown.

2.  Add the remaining ingredients and continue cooking, covered, until the potatoes and peas are tender (about 5 minutes).  Taste and adjust seasoning, remember potatoes require lots of salt.  Set aside and allow to cool before filling the pastries.

filling the pastries and frying the Samosas:

1.   Working with one wrap at a time, position the wrap directly in front  of you oriented as a diamond with each point pointing in a compass direction.    Place a generous teaspoon of the filling in the center of the diamond, wet the edges of the diamond with a little water and fold the bottom half of the diamond up over the top half and the filling  forming a triangle, press the edges slightly to seal and place on a dish.   Continue this process until all the wrappers and the filling have been used up.

2.   After all the Samosas are formed, either heat about 4-inches of oil in a large pot  to 375 degrees F.  over medium high heat or place the manufacturer's suggested amount of oil  in the container of a deep fryer and heat it to 375 degrees F. 

3.  When the oil comes up to temperature add the Samosas to the oil, several at a time, and fry until golden brown (for the oil in pot method) or per manufacturers suggested time (if you are using a deep fryer), about 4 minutes.  After they are fried , remove the samosas from the oil with a slotted spoon and place them on a dish lined with paper towels to drain.

4.  Serve warm accompanied by your favourite Chutney, alone  or as an accompaniment to your favourite Indian dish.

*clarified butter