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wc-Scallion-Pancake-Pierogies

Here’s another recipe from Pierogi Love, the attribute to the traditional peasant dish from Eastern Europe. That said, there is nothing Eastern European about this. In her book, author Casey Barber has fun, playing with the pierogi idea. The dough is soft, pliable and fun to work with. The filling can be classical or it can be international. Here, you’ll see scallion pancakes in a totally new and delicious light.

For a weekend brunch, this would make the perfect appetizer or, if served in abundance, the entire meal. A side salad and a cold beer are all the additions you need.


Scallion Pancake Pierogies with Asian Dipping Sauce

Yield: about 24

Ingredients:

For the pierogies:

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, chopped into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 half-inch-thick piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
  • ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 1 batch Basic Savory Dough [recipe follows]
  • 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
  • 1/2 cup minced scallions, green parts

For the sauce:

  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ½ teaspoon hot chili sesame oil or garlic-chili paste
  • 1 minced scallion, green parts only (optional)

Preparation:

FOR THE PEROGIES: Heat oil in a 3 ½ -quart Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken and stir in next 4 ingredients, about 5 minutes more. Stir in next 4 ingredients and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is very tender, 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover; if liquid hasn’t fully reduced to a thick and sticky sauce, continue simmering until it does. Shred chicken and sauce with 2 forks, or place into a stand mixer bowl and shred with the paddle on low speed.

Make a batch of dough with the following changes: Reduce butter 3 tablespoons to 1 tablespoon, and whisk sesame oil in with the egg, sour cream, butter, and salt. Once dough is rough and shaggy, knead in the scallion.

Roll out dough and stamp into rounds. Place 1 teaspoon filling on each dough round; brush with egg wash, fold, pinch and seal.

FOR THE SAUCE: Whisk the first four ingredients in a bowl until the honey dissolves. Divide among four shallow bowls. Sprinkle each with scallion desired.

TO COOK AND TO PRESENT: deep fry, boil, or pan fry the pierogies. Divide evenly among four plates and serve with the sauce


Basic Pierogi Dough Both Savory and Sweet

Yield: about 24

Ingredients:

  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (full-fat, reduced-fat, or nonfat)
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • For savory pierogies: 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • For sweet pierogies: 1 tablespoon sugar and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon water

Preparation:

Whisk 1 egg, sour cream or yogurt, butter, and salt (for savory pierogies) or sugar and salt (for sweet pierogies) in a bowl. Add flour to a 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 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.

Tip dough and any remaining shaggy flakes out onto a clean work surface. Knead until smooth, about 1 minute. Cover dough with the bowl and let rest 15 minutes.

Whisk remaining egg and water in a small bowl for egg wash.


Source: Pierogi Love by Casey Barber [Gibbs Smith, 2015]