Polish pierogi — my new favourite dumplings with smoked tofu #veganchristmas

I know. There are no better dumplings than the classic Polish pierogi ruskie with curd cheese, onions and potatoes. But… smoked tofu dumplings are great too and I have to say they have become my new favourites — a bit more festive and even easier to prepare. The filling of these dumplings is really tasty: peppery and smoky with that salty umami taste and at the same time sweet and sour thanks to the addition of cranberries.

When the holiday time approaches, I suddenly feel the need to prepare dishes that remind me of home, childhood and… that blissful peace. It is also a time when cooking together with a few people is a great way to spend a nice afternoon (or the whole day – that’s my style). This means one thing – it’s just a time for dumplings.

Polish pierogi — my new favourite dumplings with smoked tofu

• 400g smoked tofu
• 100g dried cranberries
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper and 1/2 tsp white pepper (or just more black pepper)
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 3 tbsp water
• pinch salt
• I also recommend: 1 tsp dried marjoram and a large pinch of nutmeg 
• 2 large onions (or 3 small ones)
• 3 tbsp of oil for frying

Dumpling dough:

• 400g wheat flour
• 200ml hot water
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preparing the smoked tofu filling:

1. Pour boiling water over the dried cranberries and drain them after five minutes.

2. Dice the onions finely and fry them in a pan with some oil over low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Grate the smoked tofu thoroughly using a grater. Or use a blender or even a fork.

4. Combine the tofu, cranberries, and onions in a large bowl.

5. Add pepper, soy sauce, water and a little bit of salt. Mix everything together. At this stage, it is good to partially mix the filling with a hand blender, but no more than a half, as it will it make it easier to fill the dumplings later.

6. Taste the prepared filling and season to taste if necessary.

Preparing the dumpling dough:

1. Put the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the oil and gradually add hot water. Knead a springy and elastic dough (I do it with my hands, but you can also use a food processor with a dough hook).

2. When preparing the dumplings, cover the remaining dough with a cloth so it does not get dry.

3. Divide the dough into two parts. On a floured table top, roll out a part of the dough thinly to a thickness of 1-2 mm.

4. Using a glass, cut out circles from the dough (as shown in the photos). Collect the rest of the dough from the table top to form another flexible ball (try to use up the whole dough by rolling it again).

5. Fill the cut out dough circles with a full teaspoon of filling.

6. Fold the circles in half and stick the edges together using your fingers.

7. Put such ready-to-cook dumplings on a cloth and if you are not going to cook them right away, cover then with an additional cloth to avoid the dough drying up.

Cooking the dumplings: 

1. In a large pot, bring lightly salted water to a boil.

2. Put the dumplings into the boiling water. It is best to cook no more than 20 pieces at a time.

3. Stir the dumplings with a wooden spoon. When they all come up to the surface, they are ready. The easiest way to get them out of the water is to use a slotted spoon or a small strainer.

4. Serve freshly cooked. Note: they stick together quickly. If you want to serve them later, it is a good idea to sprinkle them with a little oil.

Tips:

• It is best to prepare dumplings with a company that is energetic and not too lazy. It is worth having at least one assistant, especially at the folding stage.

• If the dumpling edges don’t want to stick, moisten them with water.

• They taste great with pepper and an extra portion of fried onions.

• If you are going to eat them the next day – they will be great fried with that slightly crunchy dough on the outside.