Martha Stewart: Best food ever? It's Mom's pierogi

I AM OFTEN asked, "What is your favorite food?" Although I always answer Japanese, the real response should be pierogi, the delectable Polish dumplings that my mother, Martha Kostyra, made so well in their many incarnations: potato, cabbage, blueberry, peach, plum and apricot.

Because the process of rolling the dough, cutting the rounds and filling them is a bit difficult, we recorded a video of my mother and me making pierogi. Look for it online, at marthastewart.com/pierogi.

She had an expert touch at making a soft, tender, malleable dough. Other recipes for dough do not have both milk and sour cream, and most do not call for rolling it as thin. We use a cookie or biscuit cutter for the rounds, but I never saw Mom use anything except the floured rim of a specific glass tumbler with perfectly straight sides. She cut her circles very, very close together, so as not to waste a centimeter of dough, which she rolled out only once. I never saw her reuse the scraps; she said that they wouldn't make a perfect dumpling.

BASIC PIEROGI

FOR THE DOUGH:

1 large egg, lightly whisked

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 cup whole milk

1 cup water

5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and dusting

Yellow cornmeal, for dusting

FOR THE FILLING:

Potato (recipe follows)

Coarse salt

FOR SERVING:

Brown Butter (recipe follows)

Coarse salt

1. Make the dough: Whisk together egg and sour cream. Whisk in milk and water. Stir in flour, 1 cup at a time.

2. Turn out dough onto a floured surface. (Dough will be loose and sticky.) Using a bench scraper, turn and fold dough to knead, dusting with flour as needed, until elastic and no longer sticky, 8 to 10 minutes. (Dough will come together as you knead it. Be careful not to add too much flour, since it will toughen the dough.) Cover with an inverted bowl; let rest for 1 hour.

3. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a clean linen towel, and dust generously with cornmeal to prevent sticking.

4. Roll out 1 piece of dough on a lightly floured surface into a 1/8-inch-thick round (keep other pieces covered).

5. Cut out circles very close together, using a 3-inch cutter or glass. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent dough from drying. Repeat with remaining dough.

6. Fill pierogi: Place filling in center of each dough circle. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

7. Holding 1 circle in your hand, fold dough over filling. Pinch edges, forming a well-sealed crescent.

8. Transfer to cornmeal-dusted towel, and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with remaining dough circles and filling. Working in batches, transfer pierogi to boiling water. They will sink to the bottom and then rise. Once they have risen, cook through, about 2 minutes more. Coat a platter with half the butter. Transfer pierogi to platter using a slotted spoon. Drizzle tops with remaining butter, and season with salt. Makes about 5 dozen.

POTATO FILLING: Place 5 pounds (about 12 medium) peeled and quartered Yukon Gold potatoes in a large pot, and cover with cold water. Season with coarse salt. Bring to a boil; cook until fork-tender, 8 to 9 minutes. Drain; pass through a ricer. Stir in 8 ounces room-temperature cream cheese and 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. For each pierogi, form filling into a 1 1/2-inch oval (about 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons).

BROWN BUTTER: Melt 2 sticks unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until dark golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Makes about a cup.

For more recipes please visit marthastewart.com/mrs-kostyra.

Questions should be addressed to Ask Martha, care of Letters Department, Martha Stewart Living, 601 West 26th Street, 9th floor, New York, N.Y. 10001. Questions may also be sent by e-mail to: mslletters@marthastewart.com. Please include your name, address and daytime phone number.