Neighborhood Eats: Baba's Pierogies
GOWANUS, Brooklyn (WABC) -- Growing up, Helena Fabiankovich's grandmother always made pierogies on Fridays.
In fact, her 90 year old 'Baba' is still making them - it is her recipe that Helena uses at Baba's Pierogies in Gowanus.
Helena and her boyfriend, Bob Wagner opened their spot four years ago and their pierogies offer plenty of Slovakian comfort. There is the traditional potato filling, a kid-friendly mac and cheese filling, and various others from jalapeno to blueberry. There are also kielbasa sliders and schnitzel bites.
Helena and her boyfriend have even expanded to a stall at the North 3rd Street Market in Williamsburg.
BABA'S PIEROGIES:
Dough:
1 egg
1 tbsp salt
1 1/4 cups warm water
4 cups flour
Using a mixer combine the ingredients. First whisk the egg and salt, then add water. Slowly add the flour until dough is formed in the mixer bowl. Use the lowest function on the mixer. Take the dough out and let rest under a bowl.
Cut the dough into 4 pieces. This will help you have more control during rolling. Using a rolling pin and flour, roll out the dough to the perfect thickness! We like a thinner pierogi shell. Once the dough is rolled out and the circles have been cut out using a glass cup or some kind of round cutter, you can begin to make the pierogi.
Filling ingredients:
4 russet potatoes
2 jalapenos, diced
Salt
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
Directions:
peel and diced potatoes. Boil in a pot of salted water until soft (about 15-20mins) strain the potatoes and mash or rice while hot.
Add in a teaspoon of salt, the diced jalapeños, the sour cream and cheddar. Let the jalapeño filling cool in the fridge (3hrs)
Scoop an ounce of filling and place in the center of the round pierogi shell (see above). Fold the circle in half, over the filling, and meet the seams. Make sure the seams are pinched tightly all around. Once your pierogies are made, get a pot of water boiling. For boiled pierogies: cook them in boiling water until they rise to the top. Then strain and toss in melted butter. For fried pierogies: boil them for 1 min and strain. Then you can pan fry them on a non stick pan. Garnish as you wish-with chives, sour cream, sautéed onions, whatever you choose.
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