Pierogies (or Perogies) are dumplings filled with potato and cheese. They’re a popular dish in northern and eastern Europe. The same with Kasha, which is roasted buckwheat groats, and is served like rice or pasta. Both dishes are prevalent in Hungarian, Polish, Ukrainian and Russian cuisine.

I discovered pierogies and kasha long ago from Jewish friends; and ever since I’ve been an afficionado of each. However, I do tweak the preparation of each dish. In terms of pierogies, I add olive oil, plus garlic and oregano as a seasoning. With the Kasha, I add raisins to the mix for added flavor. Kasha has a nutty texture, and raisins give it a nice counterpoint.

Kasha and pierogies can be found in most any supermarket these days. In my younger days, the only Kasha available was Wolff’s Kasha which comes in whole or medium grain. Today you can find other brands, even organic kasha. As for pierogies, they come pre-cooked and frozen  so you don’t have to spend all day making them from scratch—unless you want to. Either way, you’ll have a fabulous meal. Enjoy.

PIEROGIES AND KASHA

Ingredients:

24 frozen pierogies (they normally come a dozen to a package)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ large onion, peeled and sliced thick
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
I tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pierogies and cook 4-5 minutes or until they float to the top. Drain.
  2. In a large fry pan or skillet, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add onion, garlic, and drained pierogies. Season with salt, pepper and oregano; and cook over high heat until the onion is soft and pierogies are lightly browned. Do not overcook or the pierogies will shred. Serve over kasha. If desired, you can add dollops of sour cream over it.
    Yield: 4 servings.

KASHA

Ingredients:

1½ cups Kasha
2½ cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/3 cup raisins
2 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

In a medium saucepan or pot, add kasha, broth and salt. Bring to bail. Add raisins, lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Stir in butter and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.