Pierogi take on classic Irish dish

With St. Patrick’s Day upon us, I decided to do a pierogi take on the classic Irish American dish, corned beef and cabbage.

My go-to recipe for pierogi dough comes from Casey Barber’s 2015 cookbook “Pierogi Love.” Soft and super stretchy, it’s easy for even novice cooks to work with. For the filling, I combined homemade cheesy mashed potatoes with shredded green cabbage cooked in butter and bite-sized pieces of corned beef from the deli.

It might take you a few tries to get the hang of it, but no worries: Even misshapen pierogies taste great! Just be sure to allow the dough to rest for at least 15 minutes before rolling it, and keep the unused portion covered with plastic or a towel so it doesn’t dry out. If you boil them, you’ll know they’re done when they float. You also can pan fry them in butter. Just be sure not to crowd the pan or they’ll stick together.

Don’t care so much for Irish flavors? Pierogies can be stuffed with just about anything the cook’s heart desires, both sweet and savory, so feel free to experiment with other meats, cheeses and fruit combinations. They also freeze well, which makes for a satisfying last-minute dish on nights when all you want is something quick and hearty.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Pierogies

Makes 24 pierogies.adapted from “Pierogi Love: New Takes on an Old-World Comfort Food” by Casey Barber

For dough

2 large eggs, divided

1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups (81/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon water

For filling

4 medium (avocado-sized) yellow Idaho potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 tablespoons butter, divided

Milk, for potatoes

1/2 cup grated white Irish cheddar cheese

2 cups finely shredded or chopped green cabbage

4 ounces corned beef, chopped

Onions sauteed in butter for serving, optional

Prepare dough: Whisk 1 egg, sour cream or yogurt, butter and salt in bowl. Add flour to large bowl. Gently stir wet ingredients into flour. The dough will initially be very dry and shaggy, seeming as if it will never come together, but have no fear: Keep stirring and it will pull itself into shape.

Once dough starts to come together, press and smash it against the sides of bowl with your palms, picking up dough bits and essentially kneading it within the bowl until it forms a ball.

Tip dough and any remaining shaggy flakes out onto a clean work surface. Knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover dough with a bowl and let rest at least 15 minutes. Whisk remaining egg and water in small bowl for egg wash.

While dough is resting, make filling: Cook potatoes in a large pot of salted boiling water until fork-tender. Remove to a large bowl, mash with a fork or potato masher and then stir in 1 tablespoon of butter and as much milk as you need to make the potatoes creamy. Add grated cheddar and stir until cheese is melted and well combined.

In separate pan, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter. When it sizzles add shredded cabbage along with a tablespoon or two of water and cook cabbage until it is soft and wilted. Stir in corned beef and set aside.

Assemble pierogies: Line a rimmed baking sheet with waxed or parchment paper.

Divide rested dough into 4 equal pieces with a bench scraper or knife. Set aside 3 pieces and cover with mixing bowl. Roll remaining dough as thinly as possible into a rough 8-by-12-inch rectangle.

Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter (I used a pint glass), cut out 6 rounds of dough. Resist the temptation to re-roll dough scraps for additional rounds. It seems wasteful but dough won’t be as tender the second time around.

Spoon teaspoon of mashed potatoes and cabbage/corned beef mixture into the center of dough rounds. Using your finger, swipe a small amount of egg wash around the dough edge.

Fold dough over filling into a half-moon shape, then gently but firmly seal pierogi by pinching and squeezing edges together with your thumb and index finger. Start with 1 pinch at the top, then move to the “corner” of the pierogi and pinch along the edge back to the top. Repeat on opposite side to finish sealing. Transfer to baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough rounds and filling.

To cook, pierogies can either be boiled (2-3 minutes for fresh, 4-5 minutes for frozen), pan-fried in oil or butter (2 minutes per side), or deep-fried in at least 2 inches of 350-degree vegetable oil (3 minutes for fresh and 5 minutes for frozen).

Serve with sauteed onions on top, if desired.