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Pierogi are filled dumplings made by wrapping
unleavened In cooking, a leavening agent () or raising agent, also called a leaven () or leavener, is any one of a number of substances used in doughs and batters that cause a foaming action (gas bubbles) that lightens and softens the mixture. An alterna ...
dough around a savory or sweet
filling Filling may refer to: * a food mixture used for stuffing * Icing (food), Frosting used between layers of a cake * Dental restoration * Symplectic filling, a kind of cobordism in mathematics * Part of the leather crusting process See also

* Fi ...
and cooking in boiling water. They are often pan-fried before serving. Pierogi or their varieties are associated with the cuisines of
Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. Dumplings most likely originated in Asia and came to Europe via trade in the Middle Ages. The widely-used English name pierogi was derived from
Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles, people from Poland or of Polish descent * Polish chicken *Polish brothers (Mark Polish and Michael Polish, born 1970), American twin screenwr ...
. In some parts of Eastern Europe they are known as varenyky''.'' Pierogi are also popular in modern-day
American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...
and Canadian cuisine, where they are sometimes known under different local names. Typical fillings include potato,
cheese Cheese is a dairy product produced in wide ranges of flavors, textures, and forms by coagulation of the milk protein casein. It comprises proteins and fat from milk, usually the milk of cows, buffalo, goats, or sheep. During production, ...
,
quark A quark () is a type of elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Quarks combine to form composite particles called hadrons, the most stable of which are protons and neutrons, the components of atomic nuclei. All commonly o ...
, sauerkraut, ground meat, edible mushrooms, and/or fruits. Savory pierogi are often served with a topping of sour cream, fried onions, or both.


Terminology

The English word "pierogi" comes from Polish ' , which is the plural form of ' , a generic term for filled dumplings. It derives from
Old East Slavic Old East Slavic (traditionally also Old Russian; be, старажытнаруская мова; russian: древнерусский язык; uk, давньоруська мова) was a language used during the 9th–15th centuries by East ...
(') and further from Proto-Slavic *pirъ, "feast". While dumplings as such are found throughout Eurasia, the specific name ''pierogi'', with its Proto-Slavic root and its
cognate In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words in different languages that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymology, etymological ancestor in a proto-language, common parent language. Because language c ...
s in the West and East Slavic languages, including Russian (', "pie") and (', "small pies"), shows the name's common Slavic origins, antedating the modern nation states and their standardized languages. In most of these languages the word means "pie". Among Ukrainians and the Ukrainian diaspora, they are known as ''varenyky''. The word is the plural form of ('), which derives from Ukrainian (') "boiling liquid", indicating boiling as the primary cooking method for this kind of dumpling. The same term is used in the Mennonite community, sometimes spelled ''varenikie'' or ''wareniki''. ''Bryndzové pirohy'' is the Slovak term for dumplings filled with
sheep milk cheese Sheep milk cheese is a cheese prepared from sheep milk. Well-known cheeses made from sheep milk include the Feta of Greece, Roquefort of France, Manchego from Spain, the Pecorino Romano and Ricotta of Italy. Yogurts, especially some forms of st ...
. ''Colțunași'' is the
Romanian Romanian may refer to: *anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Romania **Romanians, an ethnic group **Romanian language, a Romance language ***Romanian dialects, variants of the Romanian language **Romanian cuisine, traditional ...
term for filled dumplings. It is derived from Greek , ''kaltsúni'', itself a borrowing from Italian calzoni.


Origins

While the origin of the pierogi is often under debate, the exact origin of the dish is unknown and unverifiable. Dumplings most likely originated in
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
and became widespread in Europe during the Middle Ages or later periods. Some claim that pierogi were spread by
Marco Polo Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...
's expeditions through the
Silk Road The Silk Road () was a network of Eurasian trade routes active from the second century BCE until the mid-15th century. Spanning over 6,400 kilometers (4,000 miles), it played a central role in facilitating economic, cultural, political, and reli ...
, thus suggesting a connection to Chinese mantou. Other sources theorize that in the 13th century, pierogi were brought by
Saint Hyacinth of Poland Hyacinth ( pl, Święty Jacek or ''Jacek Odrowąż''; ca. 1185 – 15 August 1257) was a Polish Dominican priest and missionary who worked to reform women's monasteries in his native Poland. He was a Doctor of Sacred Studies, educated in Pa ...
from the Far East (Asia) via what was then the Kievan Rus'. These became characteristic to Central and East European cuisines, where different varieties (preparation methods, ingredients, fillings) were invented.


Ingredients and preparation


Fillings

Pierogi may be stuffed (singularly or in combinations) with mashed potatoes, fried onions,
quark A quark () is a type of elementary particle and a fundamental constituent of matter. Quarks combine to form composite particles called hadrons, the most stable of which are protons and neutrons, the components of atomic nuclei. All commonly o ...
or
farmer cheese In the United States, farmer cheese (also farmer's cheese or farmers' cheese) is pressed curds, an unripened cheese made by adding rennet and bacterial starter to coagulate and acidify milk. Farmer cheese may be made from the milk of cows, sh ...
,
cabbage Cabbage, comprising several cultivars of ''Brassica oleracea'', is a leafy green, red (purple), or white (pale green) biennial plant grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage ( ''B.&nb ...
, sauerkraut, ground meat, mushrooms,
spinach Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed either f ...
, or other ingredients depending on the cook's preferences. Dessert versions of the dumpling can be stuffed with sweetened quark or with a fresh fruit filling such as
cherry A cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus ''Prunus'', and is a fleshy drupe (stone fruit). Commercial cherries are obtained from cultivars of several species, such as the sweet ''Prunus avium'' and the sour ''Prunus cerasus''. The nam ...
,
strawberry The garden strawberry (or simply strawberry; ''Fragaria × ananassa'') is a widely grown hybrid species of the genus '' Fragaria'', collectively known as the strawberries, which are cultivated worldwide for their fruit. The fruit is widely ap ...
,
raspberry The raspberry is the edible fruit of a multitude of plant species in the genus ''Rubus'' of the rose family, most of which are in the subgenus '' Idaeobatus''. The name also applies to these plants themselves. Raspberries are perennial with w ...
,
blueberry Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' within the genus ''Vaccinium''. ''Vaccinium'' also includes cranberries, bi ...
, apple or
plum A plum is a fruit of some species in ''Prunus'' subg. ''Prunus'.'' Dried plums are called prunes. History Plums may have been one of the first fruits domesticated by humans. Three of the most abundantly cultivated species are not found i ...
; stoned prunes are sometimes used, as well as
jam Jam is a type of fruit preserve. Jam or Jammed may also refer to: Other common meanings * A firearm malfunction * Block signals ** Radio jamming ** Radar jamming and deception ** Mobile phone jammer ** Echolocation jamming Arts and entertai ...
. For more flavor, sour cream can be added to the dough mixture, and this tends to lighten the dough.


Preparation

The dough, which is made by mixing flour and warm water, sometimes with an egg, is rolled flat and then cut into squares with a knife or circles using a
cup A cup is an open-top used to hold hot or cold liquids for pouring or drinking; while mainly used for drinking, it also can be used to store solids for pouring (e.g., sugar, flour, grains, salt). Cups may be made of glass, metal, china, clay, ...
or
drinking glass upTypical drinkware The list of glassware includes drinking vessels (drinkware) and tableware used to set a table for eating a meal, general glass items such as vases, and glasses used in the catering industry. It does not include laboratory glass ...
. The dough can be made with some mashed potato, creating a smoother texture. Another variation, popular in Slovakia, uses dough made of flour and curd with eggs, salt, and water. The filling is placed in the middle and the dough folded over to form a half circle or rectangle or triangle if the dough is cut squarely. The seams are pressed together to seal the pierogi so that the filling will remain inside when it is cooked. The pierogi are simmered until they float, drained, and then sometimes fried or baked in butter before serving or fried as leftovers. They can be served with melted butter or sour cream, or garnished with small pieces of fried
bacon Bacon is a type of salt-cured pork made from various cuts, typically the belly or less fatty parts of the back. It is eaten as a side dish (particularly in breakfasts), used as a central ingredient (e.g., the bacon, lettuce, and tomato sand ...
, onions, and mushrooms. Dessert varieties may be topped with apple sauce, jam, or ''
varenye Varenye (russian: варенье, be, варэнне/варэньне, uk, варення) is a popular whole-fruit preserve, widespread in Eastern Europe (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus), as well as the Baltic region ( lt, uogienė, lv, ievārījum ...
''. File:Pierogi preparation 07.JPG, Cutting the dough into circles File:Pierogi preparation 09.JPG, Placing the filling into a dough pocket File:Pierogi preparation 10.JPG, Closing the dough pocket File:Pierogi preparation 11.JPG, Sealing the pierogi


Countries


Poland

Traditionally considered peasant food, pierogi eventually gained popularity and spread throughout all social classes, including the nobility. Cookbooks from the 17th century describe how during that era, the pierogi were considered a staple of the Polish diet, and each holiday had its own special kind of pierogi created. They have different shapes, fillings and cooking methods. Important events like weddings had their own special type of pierogi kurniki – baked pie filled with chicken. Also, pierogi were made especially for mournings or wakes, and some for caroling season in January. In the east baked pierogi are a common and well-liked Christmas dish. They were stuffed with potatoes, cheese, cabbage, mushrooms, buckwheat or millet. The most famous is the Biłgoraj pierogi stuffed with buckwheat, potatoes and cheese and then baked in the oven. Pierogi are an important part of Polish festive seasons, particularly
Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...
(
Wigilia Wigilia () is the traditional Christmas Eve vigil supper in Poland, held on December 24. The term is often applied to the whole of Christmas Eve, extending further to Pasterka—midnight Mass, held in Roman Catholic churches all over Poland and i ...
supper) and Christmastide. They are also served during public events, markets or festivals in a variety of forms and tastes, ranging from sweet to salty and spicy. At the 2007 Pierogi Festival in Kraków, 30,000 pierogi were consumed daily. Polish pierogi are often filled with fresh quark, boiled and minced potatoes, and fried onions. This type is called in Polish ''pierogi ruskie'', which literally means "
Ruthenia Ruthenia or , uk, Рутенія, translit=Rutenia or uk, Русь, translit=Rus, label=none, pl, Ruś, be, Рутэнія, Русь, russian: Рутения, Русь is an exonym, originally used in Medieval Latin as one of several terms ...
n pierogi". Other popular pierogi in Poland are filled with ground meat, mushrooms and cabbage, or for dessert an assortment of fruits (berries, with strawberries or blueberries the most common). Sweet pierogi are usually served with sour cream mixed with sugar, and savory pierogi with bacon fat and bacon bits. Poles traditionally serve two types of pierogi for
Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas Day, the festival commemorating the birth of Jesus. Christmas Day is observed around the world, and Christmas Eve is widely observed as a full or partial holiday in anticipation ...
supper. One kind is filled with sauerkraut and dried mushrooms, anothersmall '' uszka'' filled only with dried wild mushroomsis served in clear ''
barszcz Borscht () is a sour soup common in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. In English, the word "borscht" is most often associated with the soup's variant of Ukrainian origin, made with red beetroots as one of the main ingredients, which giv ...
''. ''Leniwe pierogi'' ("lazy pierogi") are a different type of food, similar to lazy vareniki (see below), ''
kopytka Kopytka (literally "little hooves") are a kind of potato dumpling in Polish, Belarusian, and Lithuanian cuisines. They are similar to Italian gnocchi. Preparation and serving The typical ingredients are boiled potatoes and flour, but may al ...
'', or ''
halušky Halušky (, plural in Czech and Slovak; hu, galuska, or ''nokedli''; ro, gălușcă; uk, галушка; lt, virtinukai) are a traditional variety of thick, soft noodles or dumplings found in many Central and Eastern European cuisines wher ...
''.


German-speaking regions

The common term ''Pirogge'' (pl. ''Piroggen'') describes all kinds of Eastern European filled dumplings and buns, including pierogi, pirozhki and pirogs. Certain types of piroggen, both boiled and baked, were common fare for Germans living in Eastern Europe and the Baltic are still prepared by their descendants living there and in Germany. In particular, baked pīrādziņi are known as ''Kurländer Speckkuchen'' ("
Courland Courland (; lv, Kurzeme; liv, Kurāmō; German and Scandinavian languages: ''Kurland''; la, Curonia/; russian: Курляндия; Estonian: ''Kuramaa''; lt, Kuršas; pl, Kurlandia) is one of the Historical Latvian Lands in western Latvia. ...
bacon/speck pies") in the cuisine of Baltic Germans. ''
Schlutzkrapfen Mezzelune (, ), also known as Schlutzkrapfen in South Tyrol, Tyrol, and neighbouring German-speaking regions and as crafuncins or cajincì in Ladin-speaking regions, are a semi-circular stuffed pasta, similar to ravioli or pierogi. The dough is ...
'' closely resemble pierogi; they are common in Tirol and northern Italy's German-speaking region of South Tyrol, and are occasionally found in Bavaria. Fillings may include meat or potatoes, but the most widespread filling is a combination of spinach and quark (''Topfen'') or ricotta. Another similar Austrian dish, known as ''Kärntner Nudel'' (
Carinthia Carinthia (german: Kärnten ; sl, Koroška ) is the southernmost States of Austria, Austrian state, in the Eastern Alps, and is noted for its mountains and lakes. The main language is German language, German. Its regional dialects belong to t ...
n noodles), is made with a wide range of fillings, from meat, mushrooms, potato or quark to apples, pears or mint. These regional specialties differ significantly from the most common
Swabia Swabia ; german: Schwaben , colloquially ''Schwabenland'' or ''Ländle''; archaic English also Suabia or Svebia is a cultural, historic and linguistic region in southwestern Germany. The name is ultimately derived from the medieval Duchy of ...
n filled dumplings known as '' Maultaschen''.


Hungary

In
Hungarian cuisine Hungarian or Magyar cuisine is the cuisine characteristic of the nation of Hungary and its primary ethnic group, the Magyars. Traditional Hungarian dishes are primarily based on meats, seasonal vegetables, fruits, bread, and dairy products. ...
, the ''derelye'' is similar to pierogi, consisting of pasta pockets filled with jam, cottage cheese, or sometimes meat. Derelye is consumed primarily as a festive food for special occasions such as weddings; it is also eaten for regular meals, but this tradition has become rare.


Romania and Moldova

In Romania and Moldova, a similar recipe is called ''colțunași'', with regional varieties such as ''piroști'' in Transylvania and
Bukovina Bukovinagerman: Bukowina or ; hu, Bukovina; pl, Bukowina; ro, Bucovina; uk, Буковина, ; see also other languages. is a historical region, variously described as part of either Central or Eastern Europe (or both).Klaus Peter BergerT ...
regions and ''chiroște'' in Moldavia region. ''Colțunași'' is either a dessert filled with jam (usually plum), fresh sour cherries or cottage cheese, or savory, filled with dill seasoned cheese ( telemea or
urdă Urdă (; sq, urdha, indefinite form ''urdhë''; sr, / ; bg, урда, извара, urda, izvara; mk, урда, изварка, urda, izvarka; uk, вурда, vurda; hu, orda, zsendice) is a sort of whey cheese commonly produced in South ...
), mashed potatoes or chopped meat. The dough is made with wheat flour and the colțunași are boiled in salted water, pan-fried in oil or baked in the oven. The word is a cognate with Slavic '' kalduny'', a type of dumplings. In both Bukovina and Transylvania, the name ''piroști'' is used in Romanian families of German or Slavic origin and the filling can also be a whole, fresh, seedless plum. The term ''colțunaș'' is used by native Romanian families and are usually filled with cottage cheese or quark and served topped with sour cream smântână, traditionally called ''colțunași cu smântână''.


Russia

''Vareniki'' are most often filled with potatoes (sometimes mixed with mushrooms),
quark cheese Quark or quarg is a type of fresh dairy product made from milk. The milk is soured, usually by adding lactic acid bacteria cultures, and strained once the desired curdling is achieved. It can be classified as fresh acid-set cheese. Tradit ...
, cabbage, beef, and berries. They can be topped with fried onions and bacon, or butter, and served with sour cream. This Ukrainian dish became especially popular in Russia during the Soviet period, when it became part of the menu of public catering and international Soviet cuisine. Pelmeni are significantly different; they are smaller, shaped differently and usually filled with ground meat (pork, lamb, beef, fish) or mushrooms as well as salt, pepper and sometimes herbs and onions. In modern Russian, Pirozhki always mean a baked, in oven, or sometimes in a frying pan, usually under the lid, dough with filling. For dough with fillings, cooked in boiling water, exact naming is used - vareniki, pelmeni, pozy (steamed) etc.


Russian Mennonite cuisine

Due to centuries of close-knit community and mass migration from the Netherlands, northern Prussia, the Russian Empire and the Americas, the Russian Mennonites developed a unique ethnicity and cuisine. In Russian Mennonite cuisine the pierogi is more commonly called ''vereniki'' and almost always is stuffed with cottage cheese and served with a thick white cream gravy called ''schmaunt fat''. Russian Mennonites will also stuff the ''vereniki'' with fruit such as
Saskatoon berries ''Amelanchier alnifolia'', the Saskatoon berry, Pacific serviceberry, western serviceberry, western shadbush, or western juneberry, is a shrub with an edible berry-like fruit, native to North America. Description It is a deciduous shrub or sma ...
or
blueberries Blueberries are a widely distributed and widespread group of perennial flowering plants with blue or purple berries. They are classified in the section ''Cyanococcus'' within the genus ''Vaccinium''. ''Vaccinium'' also includes cranberries, bi ...
. It is often accompanied with farmer sausage (''formavorscht'') or ham. Mennonite-style ''vereniki'' is no longer common in Poland, Russia or Ukraine, but is very common in the Canadian prairies, Chihuahua, Mexico, Paraguay,
Bolivia , image_flag = Bandera de Bolivia (Estado).svg , flag_alt = Horizontal tricolor (red, yellow, and green from top to bottom) with the coat of arms of Bolivia in the center , flag_alt2 = 7 × 7 square p ...
and other places where Russian Mennonites settled.


Slovakia

A traditional dish in Slovak cuisine is , dumplings filled with salty cheese mixed with mashed potatoes. are served with some more (mixed with milk or sour cream, so it has a liquid consistency and serves as a dip) and topped with bacon or fried onion. In Slovakia, are semicircular in shape. Along with , is one of Slovakia's national dishes.


Slovenia

''Ajdovi krapi'' (literally buckwheat carps) are a dish popular in the northeastern and Alpine regions of Slovenia. Made with buckwheat rather than wheat flour and filled with a mixture of cottage cheese (''skuta''), millet, and fried onions, they are traditionally topped with pork fat crisps, fried bacon or fried onion, but today often with butter breadcrumbs. Along with
žganci Žganci is a dish in Slovenian and Croatian cuisine, known as ''Sterz'' in Austria, ''pura'' on the Croatian coast, and also known in northern Italy. It is a traditional "poor man's food" of hard-working farmhands similar to polenta, although prepa ...
and
štruklji Štruklji are a traditional Slovene dish, composed of dough and various types of filling. The dish comes in the form of rolls, which can be either cooked or baked, and can have a wide range of fillings. Štruklji has been traditionally reserved f ...
, they form a trio of buckwheat-based dishes typical of Slovenian cuisine.


United States and Canada

Pierogi were brought to the United States and Canada by Central and Eastern European immigrants. They are particularly common in areas with large Polish or Ukrainian populations, such as Pittsburgh, Chicago, and New York City (particularly in the East Village of Manhattan and Greenpoint in Brooklyn) along with its New Jersey suburbs. Pierogi were at first a family food among immigrants as well as being served in ethnic restaurants. The pierogi in America initially came from
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
when the first documented sale of pierogi was made at the Marton House Tavern in Cleveland in 1928. In the post– World War II era, freshly cooked pierogi became a staple of fundraisers by ethnic churches. By the 1960s, pierogi were a common supermarket item in the frozen food aisles in many parts of the United States and Canada, and are still found in grocery stores today. Numerous towns with Central and Eastern European heritage celebrate the pierogi. They have become a symbol of Polish-American cultural identity. Many families make them together for Christmas. The city of Whiting, Indiana, celebrates the food at its Pierogi Fest every July. Pierogis are also commonly associated with
Cleveland, Ohio Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...
. In Cleveland, there are yearly events such as the Slavic Village Pierogi Dash and the Parma Run-Walk for Pierogies. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania also celebrates pierogi. There is a " pierogi race" at every home
Pittsburgh Pirates The Pittsburgh Pirates are an American professional baseball team based in Pittsburgh. The Pirates compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Founded as part of the American Associati ...
baseball game. In the race, six runners wearing pierogi costumes race toward a finish line. In 1993, the village of Glendon, Alberta erected a roadside tribute to this culinary creation: a 25-foot (7.6 m) fibreglass perogy (preferred local spelling), complete with fork."World's Largest Pierogi"
in Glendon, Alberta, from bigthings.ca
The United States has a substantial pierogi market because of its large Central and Eastern European immigrant populations. Unlike other countries with newer populations of European settlers, the modern pierogi is found in a wide selection of flavors throughout grocery stores in the United States. Many of these grocery-brand pierogi contain non-traditional ingredients to appeal to American tastes, including
spinach Spinach (''Spinacia oleracea'') is a leafy green flowering plant native to central and western Asia. It is of the order Caryophyllales, family Amaranthaceae, subfamily Chenopodioideae. Its leaves are a common edible vegetable consumed either f ...
, jalapeño and chicken. Pierogi enjoyed a brief popularity as a sports food when
Paula Newby-Fraser Paula Newby-Fraser (born 2 June 1962 in Harare) is an Ironman triathlete and duathlete. Biography Newby-Fraser was born in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and raised in South Africa, where she was a nationally ranked swimmer as a ...
adopted them as her food of choice for the biking portion of the 1989 Hawaii
Ironman Triathlon An Ironman Triathlon is one of a series of long-distance triathlon races organized by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), consisting of a swim, a bicycle ride and a marathon run completed in that order, a total of . It is widely consider ...
. For more than a decade thereafter, Mrs. T's (the largest American pierogi manufacturer) sponsored triathlons, some professional triathletes and "fun runs" around the country. For many triathletes, pierogi represented an alternative to pasta as a way to boost their carbohydrate intakes. According to pierogi manufacturer Mrs. T's, based in Shenandoah, Pennsylvania, pierogi consumption in the United States is largely concentrated in a geographical region dubbed the "Pierogi Pocket", an area including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Chicago, Detroit, parts of the northern Midwest and southern New England which accounts for 68 percent of annual US pierogi consumption.


Ukraine

Varenyky in Ukraine are a popular national dish, served both as a common everyday meal and as a part of some traditional celebrations, such as Christmas Eve Supper, Ukrainian: Свята вечеря (Sviata Vecheria or Svyata Vecherya, literally Holy Supper). In some regions in or bordering modern-day
Western Ukraine Western Ukraine or West Ukraine ( uk, Західна Україна, Zakhidna Ukraina or , ) is the territory of Ukraine linked to the former Kingdom of Galicia–Volhynia, which was part of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Austria ...
, particularly in Carpathian Ruthenia and
Galicia Galicia may refer to: Geographic regions * Galicia (Spain), a region and autonomous community of northwestern Spain ** Gallaecia, a Roman province ** The post-Roman Kingdom of the Suebi, also called the Kingdom of Gallaecia ** The medieval King ...
, the terms ''varenyky'', ''pedaheh'' and ''pyrohy'' are used to denote the same dish. However, Ukrainian varenyky are often not pan-fried. The name of a popular type of Polish pierogi, ''pierogi ruskie'' ("Ruthenian pierogi"), is related to Rus', the historical region and naming of Eastern Slavs and the ancient kingdom from which Ukrainians descend. Varenyky are considered by Ukrainians as one of their national dishes and plays a fundamental role in Ukrainian culture. Contrary to many other countries that share these dumplings, Ukrainians tended to use fermented milk products (Ukrainian: ''kysle moloko'' or
Ryazhanka Ryazhenka or ryazhanka (Russian: ряженка; uk, ряжанка) is a traditional fermented milk product in Belarus, Ukraine and Russia. [] It is made from baked milk by lactic acid fermentation.
) to bind the dough together; however, today eggs tend to be used instead. Typical Ukrainian fillings for varenyky include cottage cheese, potato, boiled beans, mushy peas, cabbage, plum, currants, cherries (and other fruits), potato and cheese, meat, fish and buckwheat. In Ukraine, varenyky are traditionally topped with sour cream (Ukrainian: сметана, ''smetana'') and butter, as well as with fried onions and fried pieces of bacon or pork fat (Ukrainian: ''shkvarky''). Whilst traditionally savory, varenyky can also be served as a dessert by simply substituting the filling of the dumpling to a sweeter one. Dessert varenyky fillings include sour cherry, blueberries, sweet cottage cheese and other fruits. The central regions of Ukraine are known for their more unusual varenyky, Poltava being known for its flour varenyky filling, in which the dumplings are filled with a mixture of flour, lard and fried pieces of bacon. Varenyky are so beloved in Ukraine that a yearly festival commemorating them is held at the Ukrainian ski resort town of Bukovel in the Carpathian Mountains. In 2013, a snow monument to varenyky was made in Bukovel, and was submitted to the ''Guinness Book of Records'' as the biggest snow varenyk in the world. In Ukraine, varenyky are not just a national dish, but also played a symbolic and ritualistic role. Ukrainian ancestors equated varenyky with a young moon since they have a similar shape, and used the dumplings as part of pagan and sacrificial rituals. For example, cheese varenyky would be sacrificed near water springs, and years ago farmers also believed that varenyky helped bring a rich harvest, so they took homemade dumplings with them to the fields. Canada has a large Polish population, as well as
Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...
populations, and pierogi (known locally as perogies) are common throughout the country. The Canadian market for pierogi is second only to that of the U.S. market, the latter having been the destination of choice for the majority of Central and Eastern European immigrants before and during World War II. Packed frozen pierogi can be found wherever Central and Eastern European immigrant communities exist and are generally ubiquitous across Canada, even in big chain stores. Typically frozen flavors include analogs of ''ruskie pierogi'' filled with potato and either
Cheddar cheese Cheddar cheese (or simply cheddar) is a natural cheese that is relatively hard, off-white (or orange if colourings such as annatto are added), and sometimes sharp-tasting. Cheddar originates from the English village of Cheddar in Somerset. Ched ...
, onion, bacon, cottage cheese or mixed cheeses. Homemade versions are typically filled with either mashed potatoes (seasoned with salt and pepper and often mixed with dry curd cottage cheese or cheddar cheese), sauerkraut, or fruit. These are then boiled, and either served immediately, put in ovens and kept warm, or fried in oil or butter. Popular fruit varieties include strawberry, blueberry, and
saskatoon berry ''Amelanchier alnifolia'', the Saskatoon berry, Pacific serviceberry, western serviceberry, western shadbush, or western juneberry, is a shrub with an edible berry-like fruit, native to North America. Description It is a deciduous shrub or s ...
. Potato and cheese or sauerkraut versions are usually served with some or all the following: butter or oil, sour cream (typical), fried onions, fried bacon or
kielbasa Kielbasa (, ; from Polish ) is any type of meat sausage from Poland and a staple of Polish cuisine. In American English the word typically refers to a coarse, U-shaped smoked sausage of any kind of meat, which closely resembles the ''Wiejska'' ...
(sausage), and a creamy mushroom sauce (less common). Some ethnic kitchens will deep-fry perogies; dessert and main course dishes can be served this way. The frozen varieties are sometimes served casserole-style with a mixture of chopped ham, onions, peppers and cheddar cheese or with an Italian-style mixture of ground beef, onions and tomato sauce. National chain restaurants in Canada feature the dish or variations.
Boston Pizza Boston Pizza (BP), known as Boston's The Gourmet Pizza Restaurant and Sports Bar outside of Canada, is a Canadian multinational restaurant chain that owns and franchises locations in Canada, the United States and Mexico. History Boston Pizza ...
has a sandwich and a pizza flavored to taste like pierogies, while
Smitty's Smitty's is a casual dining restaurant based in Canada. It was founded by Walter Chan in 1960. The franchise is also referred to as Smitty's Canada Inc. and uses the slogans "''All Your Favorites, All Day Long",'' and "''Canada's Family Restau ...
serves theirs as an appetizer deep-fried with a side of
salsa Salsa most often refers to: * Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments * Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music * Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music Salsa or SALSA may also refer to: A ...
.


Lazy pierogi and lazy varenyky

''Lazy varenyky'' ( uk, книдлі, ліниві вареники, russian: ленивые вареники) in
Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...
and Russian cuisine or ''leniwe pyrohy'' in Rusyn are gnocchi-shaped dumplings made by mixing
domashniy sir Quark or quarg is a type of fresh dairy product made from milk. The milk is soured, usually by adding lactic acid bacteria cultures, and strained once the desired curdling is achieved. It can be classified as fresh acid-set cheese. Tradition ...
(curd cheese) with egg and flour into quick dough. The cheese-based dough is formed into a long sausage about thick, then cut diagonally into gnocchi, called halushky in
Ukrainian Ukrainian may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to Ukraine * Something relating to Ukrainians, an East Slavic people from Eastern Europe * Something relating to demographics of Ukraine in terms of demography and population of Ukraine * So ...
and
Rusyn Rusyn may refer to: * Rusyns, Rusyn people, an East Slavic people ** Pannonian Rusyns, Pannonian Rusyn people, a branch of Rusyn people ** Lemkos, a branch of Rusyn (or Ukrainian) people ** Boykos, a branch of Rusyn (or Ukrainian) people * Rusyn l ...
, ''halušky'' in Czech, and ''galushki'' in Russian. The dumplings are then quickly boiled in salted water and served with sour cream or melted butter. The name "lazy varenyky" faithfully reflects the very quick preparation time of the dish: It usually takes 10 to 15 minutes from assembling the simple ingredients to serving the cooked dumplings. Lazy varenyky differ from standard varenyky in the same way that Italian gnocchi differ from
ravioli Ravioli (; singular: ''raviolo'', ) are a type of pasta comprising a filling enveloped in thin pasta dough. Usually served in broth or with a sauce, they originated as a traditional food in Italian cuisine. Ravioli are commonly square, though o ...
or tortellini: these are fluffy solid dumplings, not stuffed pockets of dough. The same dish in Polish cuisine is called ''lazy pierogi'' ( pl, leniwe pierogi). Image:Pierogi leniwe 3538.jpg, ''Pierogi leniwe'' – Polish style, garnished with cinnamon


In culture

Pierogi have their own patron saint: "Święty Jacek z pierogami!" ( St. Hyacinth and his pierogi!) is an old Polish expression of surprise, roughly equivalent to the English language "good grief" or American "holy smokes!" The origin of this expression is unknown. In Ukrainian literature varenyky appeared as a symbol of national identity, sometimes stressing its distinction from Russian. In the poem by Stepan Rudansky ''Varenyky-Varenyky'' (1858), a Russian soldier asks a Ukrainian countrywoman to cook varenyky for him. However, he cannot think of the word "varenyky", while the woman pretends not to understand him. The Great Pittsburgh Pierogi Race N'at, commonly called the Great Pierogi Race, is an American mascot race between innings during a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game that features six contestants racing in giant pierogi costumes: Potato Pete (blue hat), Jalapeño Hannah (green hat), Cheese Chester (yellow hat), Sauerkraut Saul (red hat), Oliver Onion (purple hat), and Bacon Burt (orange hat).


Monuments

A monument to varenyky was inaugurated in Cherkasy, Ukraine in September 2006.A monument to vareniki in Cherkasy, Ukraine
; also see a news item o
gpu.ua
27 September 2006 .
The monument erected at the entrance to a hotel depicts Cossack Mamay (a Ukrainian folklore hero whose fondness for varenyky was narrated by Taras Shevchenko and Nikolay Gogol) eating varenyky from an earthenware pot, with a huge crescent-shaped varenyk behind him. A monument to halushky was inaugurated in
Poltava Poltava (, ; uk, Полтава ) is a city located on the Vorskla River in central Ukraine. It is the capital city of the Poltava Oblast (province) and of the surrounding Poltava Raion (district) of the oblast. Poltava is administratively ...
, Ukraine in 2006.A monument to halushky in Poltava, Ukraine
In 1991, a giant -tall pierogi statue on a fork was erected in the village of Glendon in Alberta, Canada. In January 2010, a pierogi statue was proposed to be erected in Minneapolis, Minnesota.


See also

* Pelmeni * Momo *
Eastern European cuisine Eastern European cuisine encompasses many different cultures, ethnicities, languages, and histories of Eastern Europe. The cuisine of the region is strongly influenced by its climate and still varies, depending on a country. For example, countr ...
* Kalduny * Kreplach * List of stuffed dishes *
Pampuchy Pampuchy (; see alternative names) are a type of steamed yeast dumpling (kluski) or doughnut ( pączek) in Polish cuisine. A cooked pampuch (''sing.'') has an oval, flat on the bottom shape, with a bouncy, mushy and soft consistency. Pampuchy or ...
*
Speķrauši ''Speķrauši'' or ''speķa pīrādziņi'', sometimes also colloquially known simply as ''pīrāgi'' or ''pīrādziņi'', are Latvian oblong or crescent-shaped baked bread rolls or pastries filled with finely chopped fatty bacon cubes and onion ...
* Syrniki * Uszka * Jiaozi * Manti *
Naleśniki A pancake (or hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack) is a flat cake, often thin and round, prepared from a starch-based batter that may contain eggs, milk and butter and cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or frying pan, often frying wit ...
*
Gujiya Gunjiya, Gughara, Pedakiya, karanji, Kajjikayalu,Somas,Karjikayi is a sweet deep-fried dumpling, native to the Indian subcontinent, made with suji (semolina) or maida (all purpose flour) stuffed with a mixture of sweetened khoa (milk solids; ...
* Empanada *
Romani cuisine Romani cuisine is the cuisine of the ethnic Romani people. There is no specific "Roma cuisine"; it varies and is culinarily influenced by the respective countries where they have often lived for centuries. Hence, it is influenced by European cui ...
* Mennonite cuisine


Notes


References


External links

* *
The Pierogi Renaissance: How Poland's Most Famous Dish is Reinventing Itself
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