Bilberry pierogi with soft dough

Bilberry pierogi are a sweet Polish food made by enclosing fresh or frozen fruit in thinly rolled dough. Seal the edges well, cook the dumplings in batches in salted water and serve with sour cream or yoghurt. This recipe makes about 40 pierogi, depending on the size of the dough rounds.

Ingredients for the dough and filling

• 500 g wheat flour, plus a little for dusting
• About 250 ml warm water
• 2 tablespoons oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 400 g fresh or frozen wild bilberries
• 2 tablespoons sugar for the fruit, optional
• Sour cream or plain yoghurt, to serve

Add the water gradually, as different flours absorb different amounts. Pick over the bilberries, removing leaves and damaged fruit. Gently rinse fresh fruit in a sieve and drain well. Leave frozen fruit frozen until filling the pierogi, so it is easier to enclose. If the fruit is sweet, omit the sugar or add it at the table.

How to make an elastic dough

Mix the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the oil and most of the warm water, which should not be scalding. Stir with a spoon, then knead by hand for about 8 minutes. The dough should be smooth and soft without sticking heavily to your hands. Add a little water if it is stiff, or a small amount of flour if it is very sticky.

Cover with a bowl or cloth and rest for 30 minutes to make rolling easier. Divide into several portions, keeping the pieces you are not using covered. Roll one portion thinly on a lightly floured surface. Cut out rounds with a glass, then knead the scraps together and cover for a few minutes before rolling again. For more guidance, see the pierogi dough recipe.

Filling and sealing the pierogi

Place roughly a teaspoon of bilberries on each round. If using sugar, sprinkle a small pinch over the fruit just before sealing. Do not mix all the fresh berries with sugar far in advance: they will release juice and make the edges harder to seal.

Fold each round in half, gently press out the air and pinch the edges firmly together. Keep fruit and juice away from the seam. You can crimp the edge, but first check that it is sealed. Set the pierogi on a floured board and cover with a cloth. Work quickly with frozen fruit so it does not have time to make the dough soggy.

Cooking and serving

Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt it lightly. Add the pierogi in batches, leaving room for them to float. Gently move the water with a spoon to free any that stick to the bottom. Once they float, simmer for another 2 to 3 minutes. Take one out and check that the dough is soft at the seam too. Pierogi filled with frozen fruit may need a little longer.

Lift out with a slotted spoon and arrange on plates. Spoon over sour cream or yoghurt and add sugar if you like. The filling will be very hot, so let it cool briefly before eating. If you have bilberries left over, use them to make bilberry buns.

Roll the dough to an even thickness. A thick edge takes longer to cook, while a very thin centre can split under the fruit. Avoid too much flour on the worktop, as dry edges are harder to seal. Arrange the shaped pierogi in a single layer with spaces between them so they do not stick together, and cook them as soon as practical.

FAQ

Do bilberries need to be thickened with potato starch?

No. Well-drained fruit and a tight seal are enough. The juice will remain naturally runny, so eat the pierogi carefully.

How do I freeze bilberry pierogi?

Arrange the uncooked pierogi separately on a floured tray and freeze, then transfer to an airtight container. Cook from frozen for a little longer than fresh pierogi, checking that the dough is soft and the filling is hot.

Why do pierogi burst during cooking?

Too much fruit, juice on the seam or dough rolled too thinly can cause them to burst. Cook smaller batches at a gentle simmer and stir carefully.