12:365 Pierogies

Dough:
3c flour
1.5t salt
1 egg
3/4c water
4t oil

Combine flour and salt. Beat together egg, water, and oil, then stir into the flour mixture. The dough should be soft but not sticky. Knead until smooth. Form into two balls, cover with plastic wrap or a damp cloth and let rest for 20 minutes.

Filling:
1T butter
1/3c onion, finely chopped
1c cold mashed potatoes
3/4c shredded cheese (cheddar, parmesan, whatever)
1/2t salt
1/4t pepper

What, you don't have leftover mashed potatoes? Then you had better be boiling that shit right quick. Just don't make them too creamy, they need to be a little on the dry side like they've been sitting in the refrigerator for a day. Or a week. Who eats leftover mashed potatoes anyway?

While the dough is resting, melt butter in skillet and cook onion until tender. Transfer to a bowl and add potatoes, cheese, salt, and pepper.

Roll out half of the dough to freakishly thin (1/16inch), or as thin as you can get it while a camera is pointed at your cleavage. Ask your boyfriend if the filling is ready for the dough, and then tell him he has to wait because the dough isn't ready. Using a tupperware container slightly bigger than your perogi press, cut the dough into rounds and stack them OCD-like.

Stretch the dough over your fancy pierogi press and put a clump of the filling into the center. Squeeze the fancy press closed, creating an attractive crimped edge. Don't squeeze too hard and break the handles of the fancy press, because your girlfriend will mutter about men not belonging in the kitchen anyway, what the hell.

It would be wise to fill and crimp all of the pierogies before charging ahead, but it's okay if hunger wins out over wisdom.

Bring a large pot to boil and boil the pierogies until they float, about 90 to 120 seconds. If you are male, yank them from the boiling water and toss them into a pan of sizzling oil, spraying your lovely girlfriend until she cries.

If, however, you know what you are doing in the kitchen, remove the pierogies from the water with a slotted spoon and place them on paper towels to drain before gently placing them in a skillet with a tablespoon of oil. Fry them on each side until crispy.

Serve with sour cream, if you want to ruin them. They would be great alongside a thick slice of ham and some zucchini.

Optional filling additions: bacon bits, chives, more cheese. Sauerkraut. Mushrooms.