Pork and Kimchi Pierogis

Pork and Kimchi Pierogis

(Adapted from Grandmas Sunday Dinner Pork and Kraut Pierogies by Rene Stevens

I've taken Rene's lovely looking recipe, and given it an Andermani twist - I look forward to trying it.

Ingredients

250 ml flour, plus extra for kneading and rolling dough 1/2 tsp salt 1 large egg 125ml sour cream 60g butter 250g course ground pork (or cooked and chopped vegetarian sausages) 2 clove garlic, finely chopped 2 largish shallots, diced 1 medium tart apple, chopped into small pieces 500ml kimchi, drained 125ml beer 1/4 tsp black pepper 1 Tbsp brown sugar 4 slices crisp bacon, crumbled (vegetarian bacon is an option) melted butter sour cream bacon bits (as above, or commercial ones, which are generally bread or soya)

Directions

1. Mix together the flour and salt. Beat the egg, then add all at once to the flour mixture. Add the sour cream and the softened butter pieces and work until the dough loses most of its stickiness (about 5-7 minutes). You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this, but be careful not to overbeat.
2. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes or overnight; the dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Each batch of dough makes about 12-15 pierogies, depending on size. (You may have to make two batches for this filling)
3. Roll dough out to 3mm thickness using floured surface. Cut out rounds of 100-150mm. (Rene uses a large sized tuna can with both ends cut out)
4. Using 2 tbs bacon drippings or other fat or oil, brown ground pork / sausages til no longer pink. Add shallots, garlic and apple and continue cooking, stirring, until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Add kimchi, beer, pepper and brown sugar. Simmer till all liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Add bacon, stir to combine.
5. Using 1 tablespoon of mixture, place on pierogi dough rounds. Fold dough over filling and crimp edges with fork.
6. Fill 4-6 litre saucepan with water ¾ full and add 2 tsp. salt. Bring water to full boil. Place each pierogi into boiling water, up to 6 at a time and boil vigorously until pierogies float to top.
7. Remove from boiling water and fry each one in melted butter til browned on each side. Serve with sour cream and additional bacon bits, if desired.

• Notes - You can also serve these with caramelised or blackened onions or shallots along with the bacon and sour cream. Rene has also had them only boiled and then served with browned butter instead of also frying them.