Pierogies with Truffle Mushroom Sauce

Filling

Peel and chop potatoes. Place in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes or until tender. Pass through a potato ricer or use a potato masher to mash. Add butter, cheese, salt and pepper and mix well. Place in a shallow bowl or container or on a baking tray and refrigerate until cold. If making ahead, cover once cold.

Dough (Instructions to make by hand. Dough can also be made in a stand mixer or food processor)

Heat water with butter in the microwave or on the stove until the butter has melted. Do not boil the water. Leave to cool. Sift flour and salt into a mixing bowl, adding the truffle left in the sieve. You can grind the truffle. Check the water and butter mix, ensure it is not hot, and add to the flour with the egg. Mix to combine to a rough dough, then turn out, scraping the bowl and knead for at least five minutes to form a smooth dough. Cover with cling wrap and rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Filling the pierogi’s

Uncover the dough, dust your work surface lightly with flour and roll it to 3mm thick. Using a round cutter, cut out as many 7.5cm rounds as will fit. Gather the rest of the dough, knead lightly into a ball, wrap it, and leave it to rest while you fill the rounds you have.

Spread the rounds on your work surface and place a dessert spoon (walnut size round) of the cheese and potato filling in the centre. Spread the edge of half the round with water, using either your finger or a brush. Fold the dough over to enclose the filling and press to seal. You can make indents with your finger or thumb on the edge or seal with a fork, but do not pleat like an Asian dumpling, as this makes the ends too doughy. Place on a tray and continue making pierogi, rolling out and using the rest of the dough.

Cooking Pierogi

Bring a large pot (at least 3 litres) of water to the boil. You can salt if desired, but I do not. Drop 10 pierogi into the water and simmer for 5 minutes. They should be floating on the surface. If cooking more, take these out with a slotted spoon and place them in a colander. Continue cooking. Once finished, use a jug or ladle to reserve a cup of the cooking water, and you can drain the rest of the pierogi into a colander or sieve. 

Truffle mushroom sauce

Melt butter in a frypan with a dash of oil to stop it burning. Add the chopped shallot and cook until translucent with the heat on low. Add the garlic, then sliced mushrooms, and toss on high heat until cooked. Add a dash of Brandy, scraping the bottom of the pan to incorporate the brown bits. Add the mustard and truffle mushroom paste and toss well. Add the pierogi and two tablespoons of the reserved pierogi cooking liquid. Toss for a minute, covering the pierogis in the sauce. You can also add additional butter or reserved cooking water if the sauce is too stiff.

Slide the cooked pierogis onto a serving plate, spooning out all the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley or chives and add a dollop of sour cream.