I’ve never encountered a perogi as ethereally light as the ones served by Chef Kayla Woods at Donna Mac, a vibrant neighbourhood restaurant in Calgary serving elevated comfort food featuring Canadian ingredients. The garnishes are optional but you won’t want to exclude the gorgeously green buttermilk sauce.
Ingredients
Dough
- All-Purpose Flour 560 g
- Sour Cream ¼ cup
- Water 1 cup
- Egg 1
- Salt 1/3 tsp
Filling
- Kohlrabi or Celery Root 160 g, cut into 1” cubes
- Yellow Onion 20 g cut into 1” cubes
- Yellow Potato 160 g cut into 1” cubes
- Grainy Mustard 1 Tbs
- Grated Gouda 20 g
- Ricotta Cheese 20 g
- Juice and Zest of 1 Lemon
- Chopped Parsley 1 Tbs
- Garlic 2 cloves, minced
- Paprika, Cayenne, Salt, Pepper a pinch of each
Sauce
- Buttermilk 2 cups
- Egg 1
- Canola Oil 1 cup
- Jalapeno 1, stemmed and seeded
- Sugar 1 Tbs
- Fresh Dill 3 Tbs
- Salt 1 tsp
To Garnish
- Caramelized Onions
- Shaved Fennel
- Picked Dill
Cook It
- Make the dough: Place all the ingredients in a bowl, countertop mixer with a dough hook or on your countertop. Mix everything until the dough is combined and no flour is left behind. The dough should become a ball but not overly tight.
- Allow to sit for 30 minutes to an hour while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Make the sauce: Heat the buttermilk in a saucepan until scalding, not quite boiling. Add the egg and whisk until the egg scrambles slightly, just enough to cook it. Place the mixture in a blender, add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Keep in the fridge until ready to eat the perogies.
- Pre-heat the oven to 300˚F.
- Oil the kohlrabi, onions and potatoes lightly with canola oil and place on a lined sheet tray. Cook until the vegetables are tender and not firm, 30-45 minutes.
- Place in a food processor or bowl (with a fork or masher) and mash to a mashed potato consistency. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until combined. Set aside in the fridge.
- Once the dough has rested, roll it out on a floured surface until it is 1/4-1/2 cm thick. Using a cookie cutter or a glass, cut out circles and discard the excess dough.
- Place about a tablespoon of the filling in the centre of each circle. Use some egg wash (egg mixed with a little water) to create a ring around the edge of the circles. Fold the dough in half with the filling inside so it becomes a semi-circle. Use a fork or your fingers to crimp the edges and seal the perogies.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, place the perogies in the boiling water and cook until they float (3-5 minutes). Once they float remove them from the water and place on a sheet tray or bowl coated with a little canola oil to prevent sticking.
- At this point you can choose to either sear the perogies in oil or eat them just boiled! Serve with the Buttermilk Dill Sauce and add the optional garnishes if you wish.
