Pierogi Fillings – Part 2

PIEROGI MUSHROOM FILLING
1/2 c Dried Shiitake Mushrooms;
-rehydrated, then chopped
1 lb Fresh Button Mushrooms
1/2 md Onion; chopped
2 tb Butter
Salt and Black Pepper to
-taste

PIEROGI SAUSAGE FILLING
10 oz Kielbasa Sausage with skin
-removed; chopped
1/2 c Mushrooms; chopped
1/2 c Farmer’s Cheese; grated
1 Whole Egg
1/4 c Plain Bread Crumbs
Salt and Black Pepper to
-taste

This year The Cook & Kitchen Staff are taking you to Poland to celebrate a
Polish Easter. If you had the good fortune to be born into a Polish family,
then you’re already familiar with how a loving, caring Polish family will
celebrate the holiday. If not, you can still serve a phenomenal Polish
Easter Feast.

We’re wrapping up our recipe offerings with a final day of Pierogi fillings
that you can choose from when planning and preparing your Polish Easter
Feast. You’ll find the basic recipe here:
http://www.recipe-a-day.com/archives/aug/09_Aug_98_Pierogi.html.

We hope you’ve enjoyed our presentation of a Polish Easter Feast. Remember,
you don’t need a special occasion to prepare any of the recipes we’ve
offered, just the time and good taste to prepare a traditional meal from
Poland.

Pierogi Potato Filling: Cook potatoes till tender; drain well. Add butter,
salt and pepper, and onion, and mash. When the mixture is cool enough to
handle, you’re ready to start filling your Pierogi.

Pierogi Mushroom Filling: Soak Shiitake mushrooms in warm water for about
an hour to rehydrate. Meanwhile, coarsely chop the fresh button mushrooms
and onion. Saut? the fresh mushrooms and onions in butter in a large
skillet over medium heat. When the Shiitake mushrooms are rehydrated, chop
them and add them to the saut?ed mixture. Simmer for about 5 minutes to
evaporate excess water. Season with salt and pepper. Fill your Pierogi and
cook as directed in the basic recipe.

Pierogi Sausage Filling: Cook the chopped sausage and mushrooms in a large
skillet over medium heat until the excess moisture from the mushrooms has
been simmered away. Let cool and mix with the cheese, egg, and bread crumbs
in a large mixing bowl until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Season with salt and pepper. Fill your Pierogi and cook as directed in the
basic recipe.