2 c. all-purpose flour
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. water

Fillings vary from mashed potatoes to fruit; meat and sauerkraut are popular and cheese fillings may be sweet or savory. Here are a few:

MEAT FILLING:

1 sm. onion, very finely chopped
2 tbsp. butter
1 1/4 c. ground meat, cooked (beef, pork or veal)
2 tbsp. stock

Cook onion in butter until soft, about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and season to taste.

CHEESE FILLING:

1 1/2 c. cottage cheese
2 c. fresh bread crumbs
2 egg yolks

Strain cottage cheese to remove as much liquid as possible. Mix with remaining ingredients. Season to taste.

SAUERKRAUT FILLING:

1/3 c. onion, chopped
1 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 c. sauerkraut, finely chopped
2 tbsp. sour cream

Stir-fry onion in butter in a saucepan 3 minutes. Rinse and drain sauerkraut. Add to onion and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream.

Sift the flour into a bowl with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make a well in the center. Drop eggs into well. Add water, mix the flour into a firm dough. Use your hands to knead the dough together in the bowl. Turn out the dough onto a surface and knead well until smooth. Divide dough into quarters and wrap in cling-film while you prepare filling. On floured surface, roll out a quarter of the dough into a round measuring 11 or 12 inches across. Dough should be quite thin. Using a biscuit cutter, cut out 2 1/2 inch rounds. Place a small spoonful of filling a little to one side of each round. Moisten edges with water, fold over and press edges together firmly. Be sure they are well sealed to prevent filling from leaking out.

Drop piorogi into boiling salted water. Cook gently 3 to 5 minutes or until pierogi floats. Lift out of water with perforated spoon. (Never put too many pierogi in cooking water. The uncooked will stick together and the cooked get lumpy and tough.) Serve plain or drizzle with melted butter. Makes 1 1/2 to 2 dozen.