Perogies - Cheese and Potato

My cousin Robin and I love to cook together.  Since she's moved to my neck of the woods, we've shared many meals and cocktails together.  Shocking, I know.  Anyhow, Perogies were on the list and they were too good not to share.  They are a time consuming task but a fun one.  We were lucky enough to have a seasoned perogie maker with us to guide us through the process.  We also had a bottle of Prosecco to help us unwind while we stuffed those little jewels.  Get your kids, or a friend and try this recipe which we adapted from Canadian Living.  It's totally worth it.  If you have extra, freeze them!  These beat out store bought perogies any day of the week.
Thank you Robin for the use of your kitchen and Randy for your extensive Perogie knowledge ;-)

Perogies (Cheese and Potato)

Makes 36-40 (we doubled the recipe and made about 85)


Dough

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 egg
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp Olive Oil

In a bowl, whisk the flour with the salt.  In a separate bowl, mix the egg, water and olive oil.  Mix in the flour mixture, mixing in up to 2 tbsp more water to make a soft but not sticky dough.
Put the dough on a lightly floured surface, kneading about 10-15 times.  Dough should be smooth.  Halve the dough and cover with plastic wrap to rest for 20 minutes.

Cheese and Potato Filling

1lb russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp for frying
1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp salt & pepper

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the potatoes until they are soft and tender.  Drain, transfer to a large bowl and mash them.  Stir in 2 tbsp butter, cheese and salt and pepper.
Using 1 portion of dough at a time, roll it out on a lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick or less.  (we experimented with even thinner as Randy was taught to do). Using a 3 inch cutter, cut into rounds.  Place a tsp of filling in the dough round, fold in half and lightly moisten edges and seal together. (Psst...pour more wine).
Place the perogies on a baking sheet, using wax paper to separate layers and re-rolling scraps to make more rounds. (At this point you can freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet)
In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the perogies until they float to the top, about 3-5 minutes.  Remove to a colander to drain.
In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter and fry perogies until just golden on each side.

Garnish (your choice)

Fried onions
Crisp bacon
Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Sour Cream
Green Onions