Pierogi

Pierogi are half-moon shaped dumplings made by wrapping unleavened dough around a filling and cooking them in boiling water. They are one of the most characteristic dishes of Polish cooking and are common across much of Central and Eastern Europe, where they belong to both everyday home cooking and celebrations.

History

The dish is documented in Poland since at least 1682, when Poland's first cookbook, Compendium ferculorum, albo Zebranie potraw, was published. For a long time it was peasant food, but over the centuries it spread to all social classes, including the nobility, and seventeenth-century cookbooks already presented it as a staple, with special varieties for each holiday.

The Polish name is the plural of pieróg, a generic term for one filled dumpling, and derives from a common Slavic root linked to the idea of feast. Related dumplings appear in Ukraine, Slovakia, Hungary, Russia and Belarus, where they have other names. Its exact origin remains uncertain: a link to Asia and parallels with Chinese dishes such as jiaozi have been proposed, but there is no conclusive evidence about the route by which it reached Europe. Today it is also popular in Canadian and American cuisine.

Culture

In Poland pierogi accompany festivities and important occasions. On Christmas Eve, versions filled with cabbage and dried mushrooms are served, along with small uszka filled only with wild mushrooms and served in clear beetroot soup. Some pierogi are linked to weddings, wakes and the Christmas carolling season. The most popular are pierogi ruskie, filled with fresh curd cheese, potato and fried onion; sweet versions are served with sour cream mixed with sugar, while savoury ones are topped with bacon fat. In Ukraine they are called varenyky, are an everyday and festive dish, and on Christmas Eve they usually have meatless fillings. In Hungary they appear at weddings and special celebrations. Today they are sold at markets and festivals in Poland and among the diaspora.

Trivia