European Recipes:Polish Recipes:Pierogi Mushroom Filling

* Exported from MasterCook *

                          Pierogi Mushroom Filling

Recipe By     : Posted rec.food.recipes by Dan Eisenreich, dan@clark.net
Serving Size : 4    Preparation Time :0:00
Categories    : Pasta                            Polish
                 Russian

   Amount Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
                         shiitake mushrooms -- soaked and chopped
    1      pound         button mushrooms
      1/2 medium        onion -- chopped
                         salt -- to taste
                         pepper -- to taste

Tradition is to use Polish Mushrooms, or as those of you familiar critters,
Polish Gold - they are VERY expensive, and often VERY hard to come by. I use
a combination of Shitake (sp) and button mushrooms. Soak Shitake mushrooms in
warm water for atleast an hour. Chop 1 lb button mushrooms roughly and 1/2
medium onion and saute in butter until mushrooms cook down. Chop Shitake
mushrooms fine and add mushrooms AND WATER THEY HAVE BEEN SOAKING IN to pan &
simmer 5-6 min, until liquid starts to evaporate. Salt & pepper lightly.
(This holds nicely in the refrigerator - if you make the mushrooms the day
before you make the pierogis, they will absorb more flavor from the cooking
liquid - or so it seems, but I'm not a chemist).

When filling pierogi's, squeeze liquid from mushrooms - if filling is too
moist it will run out of the dough.

Now, when my wife and I make them I also make mashed potatoes, and let them
cool a little. Then I get some sharp cheddar cheese and cut it into very
small pieces and add it and a little dill, salt, and pepper to the potatoes.
This makes a wonderful stuffing as well.