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Beetroot and horseradish pierogi with sour cream, brown butter and paprika
Serves 8 as a starter Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 1 x quantity pierogi dough
- 2 litres vegetable stock
- 1tsp sunflower oil
For the filling
- 200g beetroot, scrubbed but with the skins left on
- small pinch each allspice, ground cloves and cayenne pepper
- 1tbsp horseradish, finely grated (or from a jar if you can’tfind fresh)
To serve
- oil, for frying
- 30g butter
- squeeze lemon juice
- braised red cabbage, pickles or sauerkraut
- 1tbsp sour cream
- pinch paprika
- 1 x 8cm scone cutter
Basic pierogi (makes 24)
- 250g pierogi or ‘00’ grade flour
- 1 medium egg, whisked
- 100ml sour cream
- 1⁄2tbsp baking powder
- vegetable stock, for boiling 1tsp vegetable oil
Method
First make the filling. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4. Wrap the beetroot in foil and bake for
1 hour, or until soft. Leave to cool, then peel and pop the beetroot and spices into a blender, pulsing gently so they retain a bit of texture. Add the spices and season as required, stir in the horseradish and leave to one side. On a floured surface, roll out the pierogi dough (see basic method, right) to the thickness of a 50 pence piece and cut into circles with a scone cutter (or an upside- down pint glass).
Pop 1tsp of the filling into the centre of each circle, fold the circles in half and seal them by pinching the edges together. Heat the vegetable stock in a large saucepan until it is simmering, add the oil, then spoon in a few pierogi at a time. Simmer each batch for 5 minutes, stirring gently with a wooden spoon to stop them sticking, until the pierogi are cooked through. Once cooked, remove with a slotted spoon and set aside on an oiled plate.
Heat a splash of oil in a frying pan and when it’s really hot, add the butter. Let it foam and start to brown and go nutty, then add the pierogi. Fry them until they are golden and a little crisp, then remove with a slotted spoon. Squeeze the lemon juice into the frying pan and whisk to make a sauce – there won’t be much.
Serve the pierogis with a blob of sour cream, a slick of the nutty butter and a sprinkling of paprika.
For the basic pierogi:
Mix the flour, egg, sour cream, baking powder and a pinch of salt together in a bowl. Tip onto a floured surface, knead the dough until firm and elastic, then cover with a bowl and allow to rest for 10 minutes. You want the dough to be soft and springy.
On your floured surface, roll the dough to the thickness of a 50 pence piece and cut into circles with a scone cutter.
Pop 1tsp of your chosen filling into the middle of each circle, fold in half and seal by pinching the edges together. Spoon your pierogi, a few at a time, into a big saucepan of simmering vegetable stock with 1tsp of oil. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring gently with a wooden spoon to stop any sticking, until the pierogi are cooked through. Once cooked, remove with a slotted spoon.
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