Pierogi with Butter and Speck

Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Servings makes 75

Ingredients

For the filling

600g potato

400g quark cheese (aka farm or cottage cheese, hard, not creamed)

Salt

Lots of ground white pepper

For the dough

600g plain flour

300ml hot water

50g butter

2 egg yolks

Salt

For the topping

200g butter

300g boczek (Polish smoked bacon)

1 bunch of spring onions

Method

For the filling, place whole, unpeeled potatoes in a pot of cold water, bring to a simmer and cook until soft (test by inserting a knife). 

Remove potatoes from water, and hold using a tea towel to peel off the skin using a pairing knife. Mash while hot, along with the quark cheese until you get a reasonably smooth consistency. Season generously with salt, and extra generously with white pepper.

For the dough, sift plain flour on your bench top with a well in the centre.  Add hot water and cubed butter to the centre of the well, and mix until the butter is mostly melted then add in egg yolks and salt. Slowly bring the flour into the centre with your fingers until a thick dough forms - you may need to add extra water if needed. 

Knead until a smooth dough forms then knead for 5 - 10 minutes. Cover with cling wrap and rest for a minimum of 10 minutes, or ideally 30 minutes. 

Roll out the dough, ¼ at a time, to 2 mm thick and use a glass or cookie cutter to cut approx 8 cm circles out of the dough. Fill generously with the cheese filling and pinch to seal. Take off cuts of the dough and add to the next batch to be rolled out. 

To make the topping, chop the boczek into small pieces. Place 50g of butter in a large fry pan on medium-high and cook the chopped boczek until lightly browned. Reduce heat to low and add remaining butter as well as finely chopped spring onions and cover. Let the butter melt and the spring onions just wilt. Keep warm.

To cook the pierogi, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add pierogi, in batches, and cook until they float to the top. Remove using a slotted spoon and serve drizzled with the topping. You can also boil pierogi and then allow to cool, then gently fry in a little butter to warm up and eat with sauce.