Ohio’s Date of Statehood – March 1st, 1803
This was a meal near and dear to my heart. I may be from Pennsylvania originally, but my family came over from the Old Country (Czechoslovakia, Hungary, etc.) So, the food of my childhood, especially when we got to go back and visit my grandparents and aunt, was pierogis, cabbage and noodles, and kielbasa. So, imagine my excitement when I found out that much of Ohio’s cuisine is Polish in nature (they are even famous for something called a Polish Boy, which is a grilled hot dog covered in French fries, BBQ sauce, and cole slaw.) I finally got to try my hand at making homemade pierogi, which (if I do say so myself) was 100% WORTH IT! A trip to Ohio was like a trip to see family. And what more could you want from a meal!?!
Tips and Tricks
- When making mashed potatoes, test for doneness by taking a small piece and smash it with a fork. If it tastes/feels sandy or doesn’t mash easily, let it cook some more.
- The trick to soft, sweet cabbage is low, slow cooking. High heat makes cabbage tough and increases the sulfur smell that many people hate about cooking cabbage. Don’t rush this dish.
- Homemade pierogi freezes very well. Place your fresh, unboiled pierogi on a baking sheet and place in a freezer for 30 minutes or until solid. Then, transfer to a freezer bag. These pierogis will be good in the freezer for 3 months. When cooking them, no need to defrost! Boil them per the instructions below and saute in butter and onions.
- Any kielbasa will work for this, but I prefer the taste of Beef Kielbasa.
- The best way to get even dough portions without weighing everything is to keep dividing the dough in half. For example, the dough below makes 24 pierogis. So, take the dough and divide in half. Then, take 1 portion of dough and roll it into a log (this amount of dough will make 12 portions.) Divide the dough in half again and then again. Then, the piece you have is 3 portions, cut it into equal thirds. It is easier to eyeball portion size this way.
Potato and Cheese Pierogi
Makes 2 Dozen
Dough
- 2 Cups All-purpose Flour
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 2 Tbs Butter, melted
- 1 Cup Warm Water
Filling
- 4 Medium Russet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 Medium Yellow Onion, peeled and chopped
- 1/4 Cup Butter
- 1/2 Cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Too Cook
- 4 Tbs Butter
- 1 Yellow Onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
Step 1: Start by making the filling. Place the chunks of potatoes in a large sauce pan and cover with just enough cold water to cover the potatoes. Add the 1 tsp of salt to the pot. Place the pot on stove and turn the burner to high. Once the water boils, cover and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
Step 2: Once cooked, drain the potatoes and discard the cooking liquid. Place the hot potatoes in a large bowl and mash with a fork or potato masher. Once mashed, add the 1/2 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese and stir to thoroughly combine. Set aside.
Step 3: Place a large skillet over medium heat. Once the pan is heated, add the 1/4 cup of butter and allow it to melt. When the butter is melted, add the chopped yellow onion and 1/4 tsp of salt. Cook the onion, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until they are soft and translucent.
Step 4: Once cooked, add the onions and butter from the skillet to the mashed potatoes. Stir until thoroughly combined. Set the filling aside in the refrigerator until it is chilled.
Step 5: When the filling has cooled and down, it’s time to make the dough. In the large bowl of a stand-mixer whisk together the 2 Cups of flour and 1/2 tsp Salt. Add the melted butter and water and mix on low, scraping the sides occasionally, until the dough is smooth.
Step 6: Remove the dough from the bowl and shape into a ball. Allow the dough to rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
Step 7: Divide the dough in half. Take 1 portion of dough and roll it out into a log. Cut that into 12 equal portions. Repeat the process until you have 24 equal portions of dough.
Step 8: Lightly flour a large baking sheet. This is where you will set the completed pierogi once they are assembled.
Step 9: Take 1 dough portion and roll it into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough ball out into a flat circle, about 4 inches across. Place a full Tbs of cooled filling in the center of the dough circle. Pull one side of dough over the filling and press the edges together to make a sealed, half-circle. Place the finished pierogi onto the floured baking sheet.
Step 10: Repeat step 9 until all pierogi are made.
Step 11: Place a large pot of water on high heat and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, add about 6 pierogis at a time to the pot, gently stirring to make sure they do not sink and stick to the bottom. Once the pierogis float, boil for an additional 3-5 minutes. Once cooked, remove the pierogi from the water with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack to drain while you boil the others.
Step 12: Once all of the pierogis are boiled, place a large skillet on medium heat. When the pan is hot, add the 4 Tbs of butter and allow to melt. Once melted, add the thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until the onions start to turn a golden brown.
Step 13: When the onions start to brown, push them to the outside edges of the pan and lay as many pierogi as will fit, laying flat, on the hot buttered surface. Cook for 4 minutes, or until the pierogi get some golden brown color on the dough. Flip them over and fry for 4 minutes on the other side.
Step 14: When both sides of the pierogis are golden brown and crisp, remove them from the pan and place them on serving plates. Cover them with plenty of the buttery fried onions.
Step 15: Serve hot.
Polish Kielbasa and Cabbage
Serves 4-6
- 3 Tbs Unsalted Butter
- 1 Large White Onion, peeled and chopped
- 1 Medium Green Cabbage, outer leaves removed, cored, quartered, and shredded
- 4 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and diced
- 2 Medium Apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (I used Fuji Apples)
- 1 Package Polish Kielbasa, sliced into thin rounds
- 1/2 tsp Freshly Ground Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Salt
Step 1: Place a large pot on medium-low heat. Once the pot is hot, add the 3 Tbs of butter and allow it to melt. Once melted, add the chopped onion and salt and cook for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 2: Once the onions are soft and translucent, add half of the shredded cabbage, the chopped apples, and the diced garlic. Stir to thoroughly combine and reduce the heat to low (as low as your stove top will go.) Cook for 15 minutes, uncovered, being sure to stir a few times so nothing sticks to the bottom.
Step 3: After 15 minutes, add the rest of the cabbage to the pot, mix well, cover, and cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: After 1 hour, add the sliced kielbasa and ground black pepper. Stir to combine, recover, and cook for 45 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
Step 5: At the end of this cooking time the cabbage should be soft and there should be quite a bit of liquid at the bottom.
Step 6: Serve hot as is or with egg noodles.
Fun Facts about Ohio: 1. The first ambulance service was established in Cincinnati in 1865. 2. Cleveland boasts America’s first traffic light. It began on Aug. 5, 1914. 3. Ohio is known as “The Mother of Presidents” due to its knack for producing POTUSes: seven of our 45 presidents have hailed from there. For those playing along at home, that would be Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, William Howard Taft, and Warren G. Harding. William Henry Harrison was born in Virginia but settled in Ohio. 4. Before the Boston Red Sox, there were the Cincinnati Red Stockings. Founded in 1869, they were the first professional baseball team. 5. The state houses the world’s largest cuckoo clock. The giant, fully functional structure is appropriately located in Sugarcreek, the “Little Switzerland of Ohio.” 6. In 1879, Cleveland became the first city to be lighted by electricity.
Edible U.S. 