Meatball Sub Pierogi

My husband has been craving pierogi for the past several days and we found ourselves with some extra time Sunday night to make them.  It turned out to be a very special day because my little sous chef was able to stuff, seal and boil the pierogi all by herself for the first time.  We stuffed half of the pierogi with my husband's favorite, plain potato.  With the other half, my daughter and I decided to get creative and we came up with meatball sub pierogi.  They turned out fantastic and really do taste like crunchy miniature meatball subs.  

Ingredients:

Yields approximately 30 to 35 pierogi, depending on how thin you roll your dough

Dough

• 2 c flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 c milk   

Filling

• 1 c meatballs, chopped
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for frying 
• 1/3 c onion, minced 
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese 
• Tomato sauce 
• Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Make the dough.  On a flat surface, mound the flour and make a well in the middle.  Add the egg, milk and salt into the center of the well.  Using a fork, beat the eggs and milk together and slowly incorporate the flour to the egg mixture, until all of the flour is incorporated.  Knead the dough for a few minutes.  Add a little more flour if the dough is too sticky.  Lightly flour your surface and roll the dough into a very thin layer. 

Cut out 3-inch circles in the dough (I use a drinking glass).  Gather the scraps, roll out and repeat.  Repeat once more, if necessary.     

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until soft, about 6 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer.  Remove the onion with a slotted spoon and set aside.  

Place 1/2 tsp of the minced onion in the center of each dough circle and top with 1/2 tbsp chopped meatballs.

Spread tomato sauce over the meatballs and top with shredded cheese.  

Dip your fingers (or use a small brush) in water (or egg wash) and moisten the outer edges of a dough circle.  Carefully fold the dough circle in half and press the edges together with your fingers.  Use the tines of a fork to seal the edges.  Repeat with the remaining pierogi.    

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add 5 pierogi to the water at a time and cook until they rise to the top, gently stirring to avoid bursting.  Remove the pierogi from the water with a slotted spoon and repeat with the remaining.  

 
Add enough vegetable oil to a medium pot so that the pierogi will be completely submerged when added, about 2 inches deep.  Heat the oil over medium-high heat.  When the oil is shimmering, add the pierogi 5 at a time and fry until golden and crispy.  Remove from the oil, drain on paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Repeat with the remaining pierogi.  

Allow to cool before serving as the filling will be hot!

Enjoy!