Dough:

2 cups (1 pint) sour cream
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Filling:

6 to 8 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
1 cup shredded Cheddar (or other favorite cheese)
1/3 of an (8-ounce) package cream cheese or Farmer's cheese
1 medium chopped and sautéed onion
pinch of salt and pepper
paprika, to taste

Combine ingredients for the dough in a large mixing bowl and beat (by hand or with dough paddle)

just until you have a soft and pliable dough. Cover dough and set aside to rest for 15 minutes. {Alternatively, the dough may be wrapped tightly and refrigerated overnight if not using right away.)

While the dough is resting, peel potatoes, quarter and boil in salted water. Drain and use a potato masher or hand mixer to stir in cheeses while still hot until smooth. Season to taste.

Add sautéed onion with butter.

Divide dough in three parts and roll it out thinly (about 1/8-inch thick) on a lightly floured surface. Cut circles with a glass or a doughnut/cookie cutter about 3-inches in diameter.

Spoon a heaping teaspoon of filling onto the middle of the dough circle and fold over to make a half moon, sealing the edges well. Make sure the seal is tight for proper boiling (otherwise they will open and lose the filling). Repeat with the rest of the dough.

Gently drop the pierogi into a pot of boiling water, making sure they are no crowded, about 20 at a time. Boil for about 7 minutes from the moment the water begins boiling again after pierogi have been added to the pot.

Place pierogi in a serving bowl and smother with freshly sautéed onion in butter, coating well.. The onion-olive oil topping prevents the

pierogi from sticking together.

Serve hot with an optional topping of sour cream and sauteed onions

As another option, place the freshly boiled pierogi onto a heated frying pan with diced onion and chopped bacon and pan fry for a crispy outer texture. Previously boiled pierogi may be refrigerated and reheated. Frozen (uncooked) pierogi can be boiled straight from the freezer without defrosting.

Makes 50-60 pierogi.