Potato & Mushroom Pierogi with Mustard Yogurt

The recipe

Potato & Mushroom Pierogi with Mustard Yogurt

Tender potato and mushroom dumplings with golden pan-fried bases and tangy mustard yogurt. Makes about 32 pierogi for four portions in 140 minutes. Original recipe; not kitchen-tested.

Ingredients

• 320 g dry plain wheat flour: 300 g for dough and 20 g for dusting
• 170 ml water: 165 ml warm for dough and 5 ml reserved for sealing
• 3000 ml cooking water: 1000 ml for potatoes and 2000 ml for pierogi; discarded, with 0 g counted as edible
• 35 g neutral oil: 10 g for dough, 10 g for filling and 15 g for frying
• 350 g raw potato, peeled edible weight, cut into 2 cm pieces
• 250 g raw mushrooms, trimmed edible weight, finely chopped
• 100 g raw onion, peeled edible weight, finely chopped
• 5 g salt: 2 g for dough and 3 g for filling
• 200 g plain strained low-fat yogurt, ready to eat, made with pasteurised milk
• 25 g prepared Dijon mustard, ready to eat

Instructions

1. Mix 300 g flour with 2 g salt. Add 165 ml warm water and 10 g oil, stir into a rough dough, then knead for 7–8 minutes until smooth and supple. Cover and rest for at least 25 minutes while preparing the filling.
2. Put the potatoes in a saucepan with 1000 ml cooking water. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 12–15 minutes until easily pierced. Drain thoroughly, return to the pan and stir over low heat for 1–2 minutes to evaporate surface moisture. Mash without adding liquid.
3. While the potatoes cook, heat 10 g oil in a wide frying pan over medium heat. Cook the onion for 5 minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring regularly. Finish when the released liquid has evaporated, the mushrooms begin to brown and a spatula drawn across the pan leaves a dry trail.
4. Mix the mushrooms, onion and remaining 3 g salt into the mashed potato. Spread thinly on a large plate and cool for 20–25 minutes until no longer warm. A spoonful should hold a firm mound without slumping or releasing liquid: wet filling can weaken the seams and cause leaks. If necessary, stir the filling over low heat until drier, then spread out and cool again; this correction adds time.
5. Mix the 200 g yogurt with 25 g mustard and refrigerate until serving. Divide the dough into four equal pieces and keep covered. Divide the cooled filling into four equal portions. Set aside the measured 20 g dusting flour and 5 ml sealing water.
6. Work with one dough piece and one filling portion at a time. Roll the dough about 2 mm thick on a lightly dusted surface. Cut approximately eight 8 cm circles, gathering and rerolling scraps as needed. Divide that portion of filling between the circles, leaving a clean border about 1 cm wide. Use the dusting flour sparingly and keep flour off the sealing edges.
7. Fold each circle into a half-moon, gently press out trapped air and pinch the edges firmly twice. If an edge feels dry, moisten it lightly with a fingertip dipped in the reserved sealing water. Keep filling out of the seam and avoid stretching the dough tightly around it; redistribute filling if a dumpling is difficult to close. Place on a lightly floured tray and cover with a clean cloth. Repeat with the remaining three portions, allowing 40–45 minutes for all shaping.
8. Bring the remaining 2000 ml cooking water to a gentle boil in a wide saucepan. Cook the pierogi in four batches of approximately eight, stirring gently once to release them from the base. After they float, simmer for another 2–3 minutes, until the dough and pinched seams are tender with no floury centre. Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain in a single layer. Allow 20–25 minutes for all batches, including returning the water to a gentle boil.
9. Heat 7.5 g oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add half the drained pierogi in a single layer and fry for 2–3 minutes per side until lightly golden. Repeat with the remaining 7.5 g oil and pierogi, allowing 10–12 minutes altogether. If your pan requires more batches, divide the same measured oil between them and allow extra time. Divide between four plates and serve each with one-quarter of the mustard yogurt.

Storage and reheating

Refrigerate cooked pierogi and mustard yogurt in separate covered containers within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the ambient temperature exceeds 32°C. Keep the fridge at 4°C or below and use within 3 days. Reheat the pierogi to 74°C throughout and serve the sauce cold. Freeze cooled cooked pierogi in a single layer, then transfer to a sealed freezer container for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge before reheating.

Substitutions and ingredient notes

Use white or chestnut mushrooms at the same raw trimmed weight, or replace Dijon with 25 g prepared wholegrain mustard. The recipe contains wheat, milk and mustard: check ingredient labels and cross-contact information when choosing replacements, particularly for anyone with an allergy. Dairy-free yogurt and gluten-free flour would require different nutrition keys and recipe adjustments and are excluded from this formulation.

Estimated nutrition

493 kcal · 18g protein · 82.9g carbohydrate · 10.3g fat · 5.3g fibre per serving.

Calculated from measured ingredients and generic composition data. Brand choices and substitutions change the estimate.

Storage references: USDA leftover guidance · FSA food guidance