Polish Farmer’s Cheese Pierogi {Pierogi z Serem}
Farmer’s cheese pierogi – Pierogi z serem [pye-roh-gee z seh-rem], are a classic Polish dish favored by children and adored by adults. It may not be what you expect when you think of cheese pierogi. The filling is prepared from farmer’s cheese, sugar and egg mixture, it is just a bit sweet and tiny bit tangy from the cheese. Farmer’s cheese is a product of milk souring and then hardening via heating process. It maybe hard to get in the US, but thankfully, I have my home-made farmer’s cheese recipe you can use to make your own [here]!
Farmer’s cheese pierogi is a dish normally served as a dinner, not a dessert dish. A hefty serving of several pierogi, topped with sour cream and sugar, can be a filling portion of carbs, dairy, fat and sugar, taking care of even the biggest hunger, dirt cheap… and dirt cheap is what Poles do well. 🙂
Polish Farmer's Cheese Pierogi {Pierogi z Serem}
Ingredients
- DOUGH:
- 3 c / 375 g of all-purpose flour
- 1 whole egg
- 1 tsp of salt
- 1 ¼ c / 300 ml of warm water
- FILLING:
- 2 lbs / 1 kg of farmer's cheese
- 2 egg yolks
- ½ tsp of salt
- ½ tbsp of sugar
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- GARNISH:
- Sour cream and sugar
- ADDITIONALLY:
- Oil
- Salt
Instructions
To make dough, place flour, egg, and salt in the mixing bowl. If you're using a stand mixer, using the hook attachment, make dough by adding water bit by bit. If working by hand, also slowly add water until dough clumps. Then, transfer onto floured surface and work until smooth. Cover in plastic and set aside.
To make the filling, place farmer's cheese in a bowl of a food processor. Add egg yolks, salt, sugar, and cinnamon. Process well until lumps are gone.
Place portion of the dough on a floured surface and roll it out with a rolling pin to about â…› inch / 2 millimeter in thickness. With a glass or a pierogi cutter, cut out circles, place filling on each circle and close to form pierogi.
Fill a large pot with water and set to boil. When water starts boiling, turn down to low, add a splash of oil and a pinch of salt. Drop dumplings into the water in batches (7-10 at a time). Stir gently and let float. When they float up to the top, let sit for about 2-3 minutes. Don't let the water roll; it may break your dumplings, and we don't want that.
Remove from pot and spread on a large surface to cool (not touching), or serve right away.
Notes
To serve, top with sour cream and a sprinkle of sugar.
Happy cooking and smacznego!
Love,
Anna
*if you can’t find farmer’s cheese in your area, consider making your own, my recipe here.
**check out the list of MY FAVORITE THINGS to see the pierogi cutter I’m using.
***check out the video above for 3 methods of sealing pierogi.
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My family and I have always made pierogi with farmer’s cheese. Ours, however, is a savory recipe. Instead of sugar, we add some minced onion, salt, pepper, and a little dill to the cheese mixture. So good!
Wow, interesting! Sounds good!
Volga Deutsch family here, I make it the same, but used chopped green onions. In the US, in some large supermarkets, you can get bagged “dry curd cottage cheese”, which works very well. I’m going to try your recipe for farmers cheese soon, as I have to drive 60 miles to a large store. If I can make my own, you’ve solved a problem for me. Thank you!
Do you have to use all that salt? I have to watch my sodium intake so that is a lot of salt. What would happen if I didn’t use any salt. That’s what I do when I cook.
Marilyn, salt gives food flavor. If you have restrictions on sodium intake, adjust to your diet. Use natural salt (rock salt, sea salt), it is a lot more healthy. Good luck! Anna
Do you have a printsble recipe for the farmers cheese pierogis
The filling is almost exactly my recipe, but I use quite a bit more sugar, and also a 1/4 tsp pepper. Also, for the dough, I use one cup milk, one cup water, for 5 cups flour. Very similar to Martha Stewart’s mom’s recipe, you can find on Youtube. If I can’t find the farmers cheese I use dry cottage cheese.
Do you have any experience with freezing these pierogi? I have made them once before using a different recipe and we froze them. I’m just wondering how this recipe will do with freezing? Would you recommend freezing before or after boiling?
Yes, definitely OK to freeze. Boil and cool ahead of freezing.
Can these be frozen without boiling first?
I don’t recommend it. Dough may become watery. I prefer freezing after they’re cooked and have cooled.
When you let them cool before you freeze them do you put them in melted butter 1st
They should have a bit of grease on them from being boiled, but if you feel they are too dry, it’s okey to add a bit of oil.
So yummy!! I will try and report back. If I use farmer’s cheese instead of cottage or feta, Should any changes be made to the preparation of spinach & pierogi ruskie?
No, just make sure your spinach is nice and dry, cook off all of the moisture.
My grandfather was from Lithuania. Our family calls the Jim ya nose’.
We drain cottage cheese in colander, salt and pepper, little chopped onion
And chopped ( uncooked bacon) mix all together. Dough is flour, egg, salt and water.
We drop them into semi boiling water. When they float we cook them for 14 minutes. Take out, slice open put butter and salt and pepper. He also did the hamburger meat, but we love the cheese ones. Yummy.
My grandfather was from Lithuania. Our family calls the Jim ya nose’.
We drain cottage cheese in colander, salt and pepper, little chopped onion
And chopped ( uncooked bacon) mix all together. Dough is flour, egg, salt and water.
We drop them into semi boiling water. When they float we cook them for 14 minutes. Take out, slice open put butter and salt and pepper. He also did the hamburger meat, but we love the cheese ones. Yummy.
Younger family members like seeing the different crimping methods.
With the exception of the cinnamon this was my polish grandmother’s recipe. So glad to find it in print for all to enjoy.
My elderly friend would identify the various fillings inside pierogi by pinching and crimping differently For each variety. For cheese, she used fork, for cabbage, she used curl, etc. For potato, she did crimp. I was always intrigued whenever she filled her pierogies and punched each group differently.
So she never had to guess what filling is inside.
Where can I get the pierogi cutter? The one used in the video. I use a cup.
I’m loving your videos! My grandparents were Polish and Lithuanian so I was always left wondering where certain recipes originated. Our pierogi recipe was made with cottage cheese and although it may not be traditional it’s still good. Looking forward to your cookbook!
Is the measurement of water for the dough correct as written? I got a dough that was very very wet, nothing like pierogi dough I’ve made before