Way back in Volume 8 of the magazine, we looked at the special meaning that certain foods can have in our lives. Recipes that are passed down through generations are so important – connecting us to our loved ones, our culture and our stories. We asked three contributors to share their inherited dishes and tell us what they meant to them. For Laura Sawyer it was Polish pierogi that brought back memories of days spent with her grandmother and sister, sat together at the kitchen table, each with a different role in creating the little pastry parcels.

I remember the day we shot this feature – myself, the photographer and stylist following Laura’s grandmother’s recipe. Not only was it fun, but there was something soothing about the process of constructing each little dumpling, and I could see how this was a core memory from Laura’s childhood. I urge you to give these delicious little treats a try – you could even serve them up this Christmas – when they are traditionally served as the last course of the Polish Christmas Eve supper.

Makes around 30 pierogi

INGREDIENTS: 

Dough:

• 250g self-raising flour (and more for dusting)
• 40g melted butter or 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp salt (or more, to taste)
• 100ml very warm water

Cheese and potato filling:

• 250g mashed potatoes
• 250g Cheddar cheese (strong)
• 1 medium onion, fried (optional)

METHOD: 

1/ Mash all the filling ingredients together, and set aside to cool ready for filling the pierogi pastry rounds.

2/ To make the dough, sift the flour into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the centre. Fill the well with melted butter (or oil) and warm water. Gradually stir flour into the wet ingredients, until themixture comes together as a soft dough.

3/ Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-8 minutes or until it is smooth and glossy. Set dough aside covered with a glass bowl to relax in a cool room for at least 20 mins.

4/ To shape the pierogi, roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface to thickness of about 3mm. Cut 10mm rounds with a pastry cutter or glass tumbler.

5/ Place 1 tsp of filling into half a pastry round. Fold the edges of the pastry rounds together to create a bulging semi-circular dumpling, pressing the edges together to seal well.

6/ Drop the pierogi into a deep-sided pot of boiling water in batches so they are not too crowded. Stir gently so they do not stick to the bottom. Once they rise to the surface in the boiling water, cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes.

7/ Serve 5 – 10 pierogi on a plate with some cream and sugar, or try sprinkling with fried onions and lardons, with some sour cream on the side.

First featured in Volume 8 – see more inherited recipes in the digital edition.