Babaci's Potato Pierogi

By: Chef #1216418

Ingredients

• 12 yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 3 eggs
• 3 tablespoons cream cheese, divided
• 3 teaspoons milk, divided
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 1/2 (8 ounce) containers cottage cheese
• salt
• 2 tablespoons butter
• oil (for frying)

Directions

1. 1

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, prepare dough by combining 1 egg, 1 tablespoon cream cheese, 1 teaspoon milk and 1/2 cup flour. Once all the flour has been worked in, add another 1/2 cup flour, 1 tablespoon cream cheese and 1 teaspoon milk. When the dough is well blended, add 1 egg, 1 tablespoon cream cheese and another 1/2 cup flour; mix well. Finally, add the remaining egg, 1 teaspoon milk and 1/2 cup flour. If dough is too dry, add a little more milk; if too wet, add more flour.

3. 3

   On a well floured surface, roll out 1/4 of the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Using a glass, muffin cutter, or any rounded surface, cut out circles of dough. Flour both sides of the circle and set aside in a single layer on wax paper. Repeat process with remaining dough.

4. 4

   Mash the potatoes with the cottage cheese, salt and butter. Place a spoonful of the filling slightly below the center of a circle of dough. Fold the dough over and seal edges with fingertips. Use enough filling so that you have to stretch the dough over it, but not so much that it squeezes out when sealed.

5. 5

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in pierogis, a few at a time. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, or until they float to the top; drain.

6. 6

   Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry boiled pierogis in hot oil until crispy.

Source
http://www.recipezaar.com/babacis-potato-pierogi-371848

Eastern European Grilled Kashkaval Cheese Sandwich Recipe

By Barbara Rolek

In the old days and even now, people in Eastern Europe toast a piece of bread at the hearth and warm a piece of cheese near the fire and put the two together for a lower-fat version of an American grilled cheese sandwich.

My take is to fry Bulgarian kashkaval sandwiched between two pieces of dark rye. This sheep's milk cheese has just the right pungency to make things interesting.

HEALTHIER OPTION: Toast the bread. Place the cheese and other ingredients between, wrap in plastic and microwave to melt the cheese.

View this larger image.

Makes 1 Eastern European Grilled Kashkaval Cheese Sandwich

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 slices dark rye bread, buttered on one side only
• 2 ounces Bulgarian kashkaval cheese or Provolone cheese
• 1 thin slice red onion
• 1 slice tomato

Preparation:

1. Assemble the sandwich by placing the cheese on one unbuttered side of bread, top with onion and tomato and remaining piece of bread, unbuttered side down.
   
   
2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium for a few minutes. Place the sandwich in the skillet and turn the heat to low. Cook slowly 4 minutes more or less to a side.

Variation: Use feta cheese mixed with chopped dill in place of the kashkaval cheese.

Source
http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/crossculturalmaincourses/r/grilledcheese.htm