Sour Cherry Pierogies from Pierogi Love: New Takes on an Old-World Comfort Food

Instructions

Make the filling and syrup:

1. If you're using fresh cherries, toss them with 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl and let sit until cherries release juice, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.
2. Strain the juice into a bowl; you should have about 1 cup.
3. If you're using jarred cherries in juice, strain the juice into a bowl, reserving 1 cup. Stir 1/2 cup sugar into the juice until dissolved.
4. Coarsely chop cherries and place in a medium saucepan.
5. Whisk the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and pectin in a bowl, then stir into the cherries.
6. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook just until the liquid becomes thick and syrupy, stirring occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.
7. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
8. Bring the reserved cherry juice and maple syrup to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.
9. Cook until the liquid has reduced by a third to a half, about 10 minutes. The syrup will be bubbly and loose, but will thicken as it cools.

Make the dough:

1. Whisk 1 egg, yogurt, butter, sugar, and salt in a bowl.
2. Add the flour to a large bowl.
3. Gently stir the wet ingredients into the 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.
4. Once the dough starts to come together, press and smash it against the sides of the bowl with your palms, picking up dough bits and essentially kneading it within the bowl until it forms a ball.
5. Tip the dough and any remaining shaggy flakes out onto a clean work surface or Roul'Pat. Knead until smooth, about 1 minute.
6. Cover the dough with the bowl and let rest 15 minutes.
7. Make an egg wash by whisking the remaining large egg and water in a small bowl.

Assemble the pierogies:

1. Line a rimmed baking sheet with waxed paper or parchment paper.
2. Divide the rested dough into 4 equal pieces with a bench scraper or knife. Set aside 3 dough pieces and cover with the mixing bowl.
3. Roll the remaining dough as thinly as possible into a rough 8- by 12-inch rectangle.
4. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 6 rounds of dough. If the dough isn't quartered evenly, you may get 5 rounds from one piece and 7 from another. Resist the temptation to re-roll dough scraps for additional rounds. It seems wasteful, but the dough won't be as tender the second time around.
5. Spoon filling into the center of dough rounds. Be judicious with soft fillings like this fruit jam—if they spread to the dough edges, it will be difficult to pinch shut, so take care not to overfill!
6. Using your finger, swipe a very scant amount of egg wash—just a light touch—around the dough edge.
7. Fold into a half-moon shape: Either fold the dough over the filling on the work surface—I call this "the blanket"—or gently cup the pierogi in your hand in a U shape—I call this "the taco."
8. Gently but firmly seal the pierogi by pinching and squeezing the edges together with your thumb and pointer finger. Start with one pinch at the top, then move to one "corner" of the pierogi and pinch along the edge back to the top.
9. Repeat on the opposite side to finish sealing the pierogi.
10. Transfer to the baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough rounds and filling.
11. At this point you can decide if you want to freeze the pierogies or cook them immediately. See the notes section below on methods for freezing and reserving pierogies.

Cook the pierogies:

To boil fresh or frozen pierogies:

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat (fill the pot with approximately 1 quart water for every 6 pierogies).
2. Add pierogies and cook until floating, about 2 to 3 minutes for fresh and 4 to 5 minutes for frozen.

To pan-fry fresh or boiled pierogies:

1. Heat 1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil, or melt 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat.
2. Add as many pierogies as will fit in the skillet in a single layer without crowding.
3. Cook until pierogies are brown and crispy, about 2 minutes per side.
4. Repeat with additional oil or butter and pierogies.

To deep-fry fresh or frozen pierogies:

1. Use an electric deep fryer or a large, high-sided pot filled with at least 2 inches of vegetable or canola oil (fill the pot no more than 1/3 full).
2. Heat oil to 350 degrees.
3. Add pierogies and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes for fresh and 5 minutes for frozen—frying time may vary based on your equipment.
4. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Transfer pierogies to the baking sheet and cool for 1 minute before serving.