When I was in Winnipeg I had some amazing perogies at this local institution, Alycia’s. I’ve had perogies before, but like I have said countless times before, fresh is the ultimate way to go. The good people at Alycia’s hand craft thousands of perogies every day. This dedication is what makes Alycia’s what it is… a local legend. When I got home, Sue was already on the case, calling up her friends and family in search of the ultimate perogy recipe. So, taking a lot of the traditional methods from our ancestors, we have given this recipe a little bit of an organic twist and a flavor update.

In this perogy recipe we used spelt flour, an ancient grain that has a high protein and nutrient content. Instead of regular cheddar or cheez whiz, we used organic feta cheese. I think the taste that we achieved in this recipe was spot on. The texture of the dough is hearty with a nutty flavor. The feta adds an interesting tangy zip that you will enjoy. So if you’re ready to rock, let’s get started!

You will need:

• 2 cups of spelt flour (or all-purpose)
• 3/4 cups water
• 1 egg

Combine these ingredients in a mixing bowl until you have yourself a rough ball of dough, kinda like the pasta recipe. Take the dough out of the bowl and work it on a nice surface until smooth. Next, roll out your dough until it’s 1/8 inch thick. Now let’s look at the filling…

• 5-6 medium potatoes
• 1 cup feta cheese
• salt

Boil the potatoes til tender and mash until smooth. Crumble in the feta cheese and combine with the potatoes. Season with a little salt to taste. That’s the filling. Let’s assemble!

Using a medium sized drinking glass as a template, cut circles into the dough sheet. These will be the wrappers for your perogies. Spoon a little potato filling into the center of each circle, leaving about a centimeter of wrapper around the edge. Whenever making dumplings, it’s easy to overfill. It takes practice, but don’t fret… it doesn’t have to be perfect. We’re not making 3 star restaurant cuisine. We’re making non-pretentious, homemade comfort food.

Fold the wrapper over the filling and crimp the edges shut. If you want to, use a little water to moisten the edges to ensure a good seal. Repeat for the rest of your perogies. You see? The ones you made near the end of the batch look better already! Good job.

Get a pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Add your perogies and cook until they float on the surface. Once they float, give them a couple minutes before taking them out to serve. Perogies are traditionally served with caramelized onion, bacon and sour cream. I like them with just onion but play around and see what you like. Enjoy, have fun in the kitchen and take care!

J