Pierogi Casserole Recipe

If you are at all familiar with Eastern European cuisine, you probably know what a pierogi is. They are simply dumplings that are native to that region of the world. In fact, pierogi is the plural of pierog which literally translates to ‘filled dumpling’.

Pierogi are usually filled with potato, ground meat, cheese, fruits or sauerkraut. Popular toppings include melted butter, sour cream and fried onions.

The origin of the pierog varies. Some say it came from China through Italy from Marco Polo’s expeditions.

Others say it had something to do with Saint Hyacinth of Poland. One legend has it that there was a storm that destroyed all crops in one Polish city. Hyacinth asked the people to pray and the crops came back. He was rewarded when the people made him pierogi.

Another legend states that Hyacinth fed the people of Poland pierogi during times of famine.

Yet another myth is that pierogi were brought to Poland by the Russian Empire. However, none of these stories are backed by cold, hard facts.

Pierogi are made by creating dough from flour and water. Then a knife or drinking glass is used to cut the dough into a circular form. The filling is then added, and the dough is folded over. The pierogi is then simmered in water or fried or baked in butter.

Tasting like homemade pierogis from scratch, this recipe takes far less time than making individual pierogis. Almost like a potato lasagna, this is made by layering lasagna noodles with mashed potatoes, butter, cottage cheese and onions. It is then baked in the oven to perfection.

Once the casserole is cooked and cooled, serve this dish by itself or with kielbasa slices to make a full meal. It’s a hearty, belly filling meal your family is sure to love.

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook noodles, drain.

2. While noodles are cooking, melt butter and saute the onions until tender.

3. Place half of the cooked noodles in the bottom of a 13×9 casserole dish.

4. Layer with 6 slices of cheese, all the cooked mashed potatoes, the remaining noodles, then top with remaining 6 slices of cheese.

5. Poke holes through the top layer of cheese; pour butter and onion mixture over top evenly so it goes through the layers.

6. Bake for 15 minutes, or until cheese is lightly browned. Serves 6.