Постные Пироги с Картошкой и Грибами — Fasting Pierogi with Potato and Mushroom Filling

Handmade pierogi are a labor of love, but the fasting dough is actually easier to work with than
the egg-based original. The filling of mashed potatoes enriched with deeply browned mushrooms and
onions is pure comfort. Make a big batch and freeze half for later.

FASTING LEVEL: Fast With Oil (for strict oil-free days, boil the pierogi and serve without the fried onion topping)

SERVINGS: 6 (about 36 pierogi)
TIME: 1 hour 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:
For the dough:
- 400 g all-purpose flour
- 200 ml warm water
- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- 1 teaspoon salt

For the filling:
- 600 g potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 300 g fresh mushrooms, finely diced
- 2 medium onions, finely diced
- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- Salt and black pepper to taste

For serving:
- 2 large onions, sliced into half-moons
- 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
- Fresh dill

METHOD:
1. Make the dough: combine flour and salt, make a well, add warm water and oil. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a floured surface for 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Wrap in cling film and rest 30 minutes.
2. Make the filling: boil potatoes in salted water until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and mash until smooth.
3. While potatoes boil, heat oil in a skillet. Cook onions for 5 minutes, add mushrooms, and cook 8 minutes more until browned and dry. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Fold the mushroom mixture into the mashed potatoes. Taste and adjust seasoning. Let cool.
5. Roll dough to 2 mm thickness on a floured surface. Cut circles with an 8 cm cutter. Place a heaped teaspoon of filling on each circle, fold in half, and pinch edges firmly to seal.
6. Boil pierogi in batches in a large pot of salted water. They are done 2-3 minutes after they float to the surface.
7. While pierogi boil, fry sliced onions in oil until deeply caramelized, about 12 minutes.
8. Serve pierogi topped with fried onions and fresh dill.

NOTES:
- The dough must rest. Skipping this step makes it elastic and hard to roll.
- To freeze: lay uncooked pierogi on a floured tray in a single layer, freeze until solid, then transfer to bags. Boil from frozen — add 1-2 minutes to cooking time.
- For extra protein, add 100 g of mashed white beans to the filling.
- The caramelized onion topping is non-negotiable. It makes the dish.

NUTRITION (per serving, approximate):
Calories: 480 | Protein: 12 g | Carbohydrates: 68 g | Fat: 18 g | Fibre: 5 g