Potato and cheese pierogi with fried onions

Poland's much-loved dumplings: soft dough parcels stuffed with mashed potato and cheese, then tossed in butter with golden fried onions. A fun one to make together; spare pierogi freeze well.

Ingredients

• 400 g Plain flour
• 1 Eggs
• 50 g Soured cream
• 30 g Butter, melted
• 4 g Salt
• 500 g Potatoes, floury, peeled and chunked
• 200 g Cottage cheese, drained
• 60 g Cheddar, grated
• 0.5 Onions, finely chopped
• 1 g Black pepper
• 2 Onions, thinly sliced
• 50 g Butter
• 100 g Soured cream

Method

1. Mix the flour and salt, then add the egg, soured cream, melted butter and about 150ml warm water. Knead to a soft, smooth dough, wrap and rest.
2. Boil the potatoes until tender, drain well and mash. Fry the chopped onion in a knob of the onion butter until soft, then mix into the mash with the cottage cheese, cheddar and plenty of pepper. Leave to cool.
3. Cook the sliced onions slowly in the butter until deep golden and sweet.
4. Roll the dough out thinly on a floured surface and cut 8cm circles. Put a teaspoon of filling in each, fold into a half moon and pinch the edges firmly to seal. Makes about 32.
5. Cook in batches in a big pan of salted, gently boiling water. Once they float, give them 2 minutes more, then lift out with a slotted spoon.
6. Toss the pierogi with the fried onions and their butter (or fry them in it for crisp edges) and serve with soured cream.