Polish Cooking - Easy Pierogi Bake

Although the letters P-I-E begin the word pierogi, pierogis have nothing to do with pie. Instead, traditional pierogics are basically a Polish or Slavic dumpling filled with something delicious. Americans with a Polish heritage or the good fortune to have experienced real Polish cooking know how good pierogis can be but pierogis can also be a little complicated to prepare.

That's where the Easy Pierogi Bake can meet the craving for the wonderful taste of a pierogi but with much simpler preparation.

Since pierogis are basically dumplings or pockets of dough stuffed full with food, there are as many different types of pierogis as there are cooks. Some of the traditional and most popular pierogi fillings include cottage cheese, mashed potatoes, onions, cheese, meat, sauerkraut and mushrooms.

Easy pierogi bake captures something of the same flavor but it's so simple that anyone - even someone without a single drop of Polish heritage - can prepare it and enjoy!

The ingredients for an easy pierogi bake are

1 16-ounce package of spiral pasta, cooked and drained

1 pound sliced bacon, cut into small pieces of about one inch

2 medium white onions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced fine

1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms

2 14 ounce cans sauerkraut drained (or use the fresh bags of kraut from the supermarket deli case)

3 cans condensed cream of mushroom soup

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Fry bacon pieces until crisp and remove from pan to drain on paper towels or slices of bread. Keep about two tablespoons of the bacon drippings, then saute mushrooms, onions, and garlic until tender. Add sauerkraut and half of the bacon.

In another bowl, combine milk, soup, and seasonings. Place a fourth of the pasta in the bottom of two prepared 13 x 9 casserole pans. Top with a fourth of the sauerkraut/soup mixture. Repeat until there are several layers of the casserole.

Cover and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes. Remove, uncover, and sprinkle top with remaining bacon pieces. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, until casserole is browned and heated through.

Change ingredients a little to include pierogi favorites by substituting mashed potatoes for the sauerkraut or cheese for the mushrooms.

Although this casserole won't look anything like real pierogis, it will taste very much the same and that is very, very good!