Roasted Yam, Smoked Gouda and Leek Pierogies

We were just recently out of town and ate a similar pierogie from a local bakery. They were outstanding but pricey (although worth the treat) and of course not available once we came home again. I had to find a way to make these pierogies.

The making of these pierogies was truly epic. I didn’t realised when I started making them how many pierogies I was making and I was so grateful when Cam showed up midway and gave me a hand. We had pierogies everywhere! On cookie sheets, chopping blocks, plates… It was a three hour long endurance fest.

What I learned making these pierogies is that it’s best to work in batches. This is in part because it saves counter space and in part because the pre boiled pierogies will forever stick together if they are stacked too close or on top of each other for any length of time. Fill them, boil them, freeze them, bag them, fill them, boil them, freeze them, bag them… I also don’t think I rolled the dough out as thin as I could have and needed another half batch to exhaust the supply of filling.

All that said, I don’t regret the effort it took to make these pierogies and I hope I haven’t scared you all off from trying them too. They were so incredibly delicious and I know that the next time I make them will be easier and even more so if I do it with a friend. The best part has been being able to go the freezer for a quick and gourmet lunch or addition to our supper.

Here’s what I did:

Roasted Yam, Smoked Gouda and Leek Pierogies

• 5 lb Yams
• 1 head of Garlic
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 3 large Leeks chopped, mostly whites
• 1 lb (450g) Smoked Gouda, grated
• 1 tsp Salt
• Cracked Pepper to taste

• 6 cups All Purpose Flour
• 2 cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 8 egg yolks
• 2 cup hot water
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Preheat oven to 400′ F. Scrub the yams then poke them all over with a fork. Cut the top of the garlic head to expose the cloves and then cover the head with tinfoil. Put both the yams and garlic on a parchment covered baking sheet and bake until the yams are soft and fork pokes in easily, around 40 minutes.
2. While the yams roast, heat butter in a cast iron skillet and sauté the leeks until golden and a little caramelised. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl grate the gouda. When the yams and garlic are finished peel the yams and squeeze the garlic out of it’s skin adding them to the grated cheese. Mash and mix all together with the leeks, salt, pepper and a little more butter. Set aside in the fridge.
4. To make the dough, mix the dry ingredients together. Add the rest and mix with a wooden spoon and then bring the dough together with your hands and knead until it is smooth. Cover it and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
5. Divide the dough into quarters, roll it out to about 1/8th of an inch thick (a pasta machine works well for this).
6. Use a wide mouth mason jar to cut out circles of dough, put a tsp or so of filling in the middle, fold it and pinch the pierogie closed with a fork. Lay pierogies out on a cookie sheet, taking care that they could stick together.
7. In a large pot, boil the perogies until they rise to the top. Sauté them in a cast iron skillet to desired doneness with a little more butter. Optionally serve them with sour cream and caramelised onions.
8. If you want to freeze them, after boiling put one layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and put in the freezer. Once they are frozen enough not to stick together put them in ziplock bags.