CHEESE-FILLED VARENIKI OR PIEROGI

Cheese-Filled Vareniki or Pierogi image

Yield makes about 50, enough for 10

Number Of Ingredients 8

Ingredients

2 cups small-curd cottage cheese, well drained in a strainer, or 2 cups farmer or pot cheese
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
1 egg
1/2 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
1 recipe Wrappers for Vareniki, Pelmeni, or Pierogi (page 58)
2 egg whites, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, more or less

Steps:

Combine the cottage cheese with the salt, sugar, egg, and 1/2 cup sour cream in a bowl; taste and adjust the seasoning.
Lay a wrapper on a work surface, then place 1 to 2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of it; brush the edges of the wrapper with egg white, then pinch tightly to close. If you have cut circles, form half-moons; if you have cut squares, form triangles. Press the seam tightly to seal; it's best if no air is trapped between the filling and wrapper. Set on a lightly floured plate or wax paper. (At this point you may cover tightly and refrigerate for up to a day or freeze for a couple of weeks.)
To boil the dumplings, melt the butter, set a large pot of water to boil, and preheat the oven to 200°F. Salt the water and boil the dumplings a few at a time until they rise to the surface. A minute or two later, taste a bit of the dough to see whether it is tender. As they finish, remove the dumplings with a slotted spoon and put them in an ovenproof bowl; drizzle them with some of the butter and put the bowl in the oven.When the dumplings are done, make sure they are coated evenly with butter and serve hot with sour cream.
Panfried Dumplings
Put about 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium heat. When the butter melts, add as many dumplings as will fit without crowding and brown them quickly, turning once or twice. Keep warm on a plate in the oven, cooking the remaining dumplings and adding butter to the skillet as needed. Serve hot, with sour cream.