Origin of the pierogi

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Dec 20, 10, 07:12 #1

I have always thought that pierogi was a polish food. Recently I looked into it and have found that many people attempt to take credit, including most european nations surrounding poland and of course the chinese want credit too. I think they refer to the tartars, mongolians who invaded poland around the 12th century I believe. Is the pierogi just thought of as a polish food. I have searched somewhat diligently in attempt to find the origin of this great and simple food. If anyone has any information I may have not found I would greatly appreciate.

1jolaThreads: 33 Posts: 2,737 Joined: Sep 23, 08 ♂	Dec 20, 10, 09:39 #2
The Chinese were making "pierogies" when Europeans were still barking at each other.

peterwegThreads: 35 Posts: 1,989 Joined: Feb 16, 07 ♂	Dec 20, 10, 09:58 #3
1jola: The Chinese were making "pierogies" when Europeans were still barking at each other. You are simply assuming that. Europe had a quite sophisticated culture eight thousand years ago, we just don't know about it because it wasn't written down.

mafketisThreads: 17 Posts: 1,880 Joined: Mar 31, 08 ♂	Dec 20, 10, 10:10 #4
The idea of raw dough wrapped around a filling of vegetables and/or meat and/or cheese and then cooked can be found just about everywhere where grains with gluten are cultivated. Pierogies as made and enjoyed in Poland (with the particular dough and fillings and cooking methods can be thought of as Polish.

smurfThreads: 46 Posts: 660 Joined: Sep 8, 09 ♂	Dec 20, 10, 12:01 #5
peterweg: we just don't know about it because it wasn't written down so how exactly do you know?

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Dec 20, 10, 12:19 #6

Raypolska:

Recently I looked into it and have found that many people attempt to take credit, including most european nations surrounding poland and of course the chinese want credit too.

They are all obviously copycats! In almost each of the countries you mentioned the reicepe is a bit different, not to mention Chinese ones are not really pierogi in this sense, they might seem similar though.
The origin of pierogi is simple: God created them on his seventh day of creation. He needed lunch anyway.

TeffleThreads: 28 Posts: 2,105 Joined: Aug 26, 10 ♂	Dec 20, 10, 12:21 #7
Don't know about anyone else but to me, pierogi is like dumplings but made wrongly - with something missing or not cooked properly or something : ) As Mafketis says, pierogi-like things are found practically everywhere.

smurfThreads: 46 Posts: 660 Joined: Sep 8, 09 ♂	Edited by: smurf Dec 20, 10, 12:22 #8
Olaf: God created them on his seventh day of creation riiiight. you go here now http://bit.ly/SEZXW

OlafThreads: 8 Posts: 1,369 Joined: Oct 29, 09 ♂	Dec 20, 10, 12:51 #9
Smurf, there is nothing about this miracle in your link:)) I wasn't dead serious with my theory in case you didn't notice...

smurfThreads: 46 Posts: 660 Joined: Sep 8, 09 ♂	Dec 20, 10, 13:09 #10
:) yea man I know

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Dec 20, 10, 14:25 #11

This is very interesting----"Pierogi are of untraceable origin - in many countries they are claimed to be "original traditional food". They have strong links to Slavic culture, and may also have originated among other European peoples, such as: Poles, Ukrainians, Italians, Romanians, Russians, Lithuanians, Latvians, and Slovaks. In Asia, similar food is served on Chinese tables, where they are characterized as dumplings. Other forms were spotted throughout the Far East, which fuels speculation, well-founded or not, that the Mongols or Persians brought the recipe to the West. "No matter where they came from,pierogy are one of my most favourite foods.

RaypolskaThreads: 1 Posts: 3 Joined: Dec 20, 10 ♂	Dec 20, 10, 17:23 #12
Yes lots of things are found everywhere but most of them had some point of origin. I generally would not care too much, but I found it intriguing to know just how many people are so adamant about taking credit. Thats all

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Dec 20, 10, 17:44 #13

Yes---Lot's of countries take credit for the famous pierogy but---" Tracing the history of the pierogi is tricky because the food did not suddenly materialize in some small town and then remain static over time. Since pierogi are basically dumplings, there is some evidence to suggest that pierogi ancestors, as it were, made their way from “the Orient” across Central Asia where they were more veggie-filled and into Eastern Europe."This could be quite true since the Asians evolved lot earlier than the Europeans did.

beckskiThreads: 19 Posts: 2,148 Joined: May 15, 07 MEMBER ♀	Dec 20, 10, 18:24 #14
Raypolska: of course the chinese want credit too I must admit, some of the Chinese dumplings come pretty damn close in taste. Especially, when I'm having bad cravings for a tasty meat pierogi. A sincere thanks PF, for putting up with me FIVE terrific years, muah!

PlasticPoleThreads: 10 Posts: 5,429 Joined: May 28, 09 ♀	Feb 5, 11, 19:16 #15
Didn't know which thread to put this on, but thought I would mention it. The Superbowl is this weekend and one of the popular "tailgater" foods for one of the teams competing, the Pittsburg Steelers is the Pierogi! Millions will be made and enjoyed all across the US today and tomorrow.

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Feb 6, 11, 00:41 #16

Let's get some facts straightened out.

A lot of cultures have a "pierogi" type delicacy. Italians have ravioli, Chinks have dumplings (which come fried by the way and pierogi's are not traditionally fried) and Poles and Ukrainians have the pierogi.

In Canada, where I live, pierogi's have been made popular by Poles and Ukrainians when they were coming here a hundred years ago. Toronto has more Polish delicatessens than the Ukrainians and they are readily available for sale here.

In America, the Poles are the biggest by far eastern European group and are attributed to them almost exclusively.

I did some research a while back and found out that pierogi's can be traced to the Polish/Ukrainian lands.

gosc	Feb 6, 11, 06:26 #17
(which come fried by the way and pierogi's are not traditionally fried) The Chinese ones come steamed as well and many Poles fry their pierogi.

Wiedzmin_fanThreads: 2 Posts: 133 Joined: May 31, 10 ♂	Feb 6, 11, 08:48 #18
The picture is so strange - it looks like dumplings. Do you boil them or fry them? Also, the dough looks strange... Do you have an equivalent of the russian/ukrainian pirogi - made with the fluffy yeast/sour dough, and baked? like this: http://www.naviquan.com/html/img/00000CDE/0889s.jpg ?

mafketisThreads: 17 Posts: 1,880 Joined: Mar 31, 08 ♂	Feb 6, 11, 10:58 #19
Pierogi are only fried after being boiled. Usually it's a way to reheat leftovers. I've never heard of any kind of baked pierogi in Poland.

EurolaThreads: 6 Posts: 2,647 Joined: Dec 2, 06 ♀	Edited by: Eurola Feb 7, 11, 01:59 #20
Wiedzmin_fan: Do you have an equivalent of the russian/ukrainian pirogi - made with the fluffy yeast/sour dough, and baked? The picture shows something that looks more like baked rolls, not pierogi. What was the stuffing made of? Meat, cheese, anything also? My mom used to bake similar looking rolls with cheese.

Wiedzmin_fanThreads: 2 Posts: 133 Joined: May 31, 10 ♂	Edited by: Wiedzmin_fan Feb 7, 11, 02:37 #21
Eurola Filling is usually kapusta/cabbage with boiled eggs. Or mushrooms with fried onions. Or fish with rice. The meat ones are usually fried, and they have an opening/hole (not completely closed). and they are called "belyashi" instead of "pirogi" then. But the key feature is the "fluffy"/rizen dough that's made with yeast. are polish pierogi made with flat dough?

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Feb 7, 11, 02:53 #22

Yes, flat dough, no yeast. Pierogi are kind of bigger ravioli.

The kapusta/boiled eggs filling is somewhat unusual. I never heard of it. However, the mushrooms with fried onions sound good...Maybe I can talk my friend into improvising this kind of rolls. She bakes something similar with marmalade stuffing, but if she put in ground beef, mushrooms and onions...spices...that could come out pretty tasty.

9rometheus	Dec 4, 11, 22:44 #23
Technically, all of the mentioned countries (exept Japan) have been in the mongolian empire at one time or another... I believe they are mongolian

strzygaThreads: 4 Posts: 985 Joined: Apr 30, 08 ♀	Dec 4, 11, 22:55 #24
Take a piece of dough, wrap it around anything and boil or bake. Does it take a genius? I mean, I'm sure the idea could originate in many different places around the world at the same time.

Patrycja19Threads: 79 Posts: 3,974 Joined: Oct 31, 06 ♀	Dec 4, 11, 23:50 #25
strzyga: I mean, I'm sure the idea could originate in many different places around the world at the same time. I dont know, you know how people are when a good recipe shows up...

polska4polakow	Dec 5, 11, 00:01 #26
1jola: pierogies "pierogies", for fuck's sake. Typical Polish-American destruction of our wonderful language. gosc: The Chinese ones come steamed as well and many Poles fry their pierogi. Not that Polish-Americans would know this ;) We even bake our pierogi sometimes as well.

Patrycja19Threads: 79 Posts: 3,974 Joined: Oct 31, 06 ♀	Dec 5, 11, 00:21 #27
polska4polakow: Typical Polish-American destruction of our wonderful language. is that you del.. you bake instead of boil? you cooking with gas? polska4polakow: Not that Polish-Americans would know this ;) We even bake our pierogi sometimes as well. so they turn out like a frisbe? get out of the kitchen and leave the cooking to the experts. ;)

SeanusThreads: 22 Posts: 30,158 Joined: Dec 25, 07 ♂	Dec 5, 11, 00:22 #28
Many Poles say pierogies in my English classes as they see it as a hybrid word. They are good when dropped into boiling water too :) :) Gyouza are fantastic. I loved them in Asia.

strzygaThreads: 4 Posts: 985 Joined: Apr 30, 08 ♀	Dec 5, 11, 00:24 #29
Patrycja19: so they turn out like a frisbe? get out of the kitchen and leave the cooking to the experts. ;) Oh but they can be baked. It's a different kind of dough though, made with yeast.

Patrycja19Threads: 79 Posts: 3,974 Joined: Oct 31, 06 ♀	Dec 5, 11, 01:15 #30
strzyga: Oh but they can be baked. It's a different kind of dough though, made with yeast. its not the same then, its a roll rather then a Pierogi I was under the impression that they actually meant the dumpling like pierogi..

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