How to make the best dumplings? Here’s the best recipe

How many times have you made pierogi, only to listen to your family's complaints that the dough is too thick, hard, and the filling is watered down? Turns out, the secret to successful dough lies in... water. It should be thin, soft, and flexible. How to do it?

Pierogis are a very grateful dish. They offer many culinary possibilities. You can stuff them with whatever you want - cheese with potatoes, cabbage and mushrooms, spinach, lentils, boiled vegetables, grains, fruits. You can boil them, deep fry them or bake them. My number one choice are those that I re-fry the next day - they have crispy, browned edges, and their taste deepens. Delicious!

The taste of pierogies depends not only on the filling, but primarily on the dough. Even the best seasoned stuffing from perfectly composed ingredients, will be tasteless, if the "pierogi shell" comes out too thick and hard or falls apart during cooking.

Don't listen to the advice that you need to add eggs to pierogi dough. This isn't pasta for Sunday broth! The perfect dough for pierogies consists of only three ingredients - flour, a pinch of salt, and water. And it's the water that determines the quality of the dough.

The secret of all grandmothers, who as we know, are masters at making dumplings, is very warm water, which is added to the dough. It's thanks to it that the dough becomes smooth and elastic and can be rolled out into a thin sheet. After cooking, it will become soft and delicate. The next rule we need to remember is about proportions.

I will reveal the recipe for my grandmother's pierogi. All you need to do is pour about 2 cups of wheat flour onto a pastry board or countertop, add a pinch of salt, make a well in the flour and gradually, pulling in the flour from the edges, pour in hot water. You need to knead the dough until it no longer sticks to your hands. You can add a few drops of olive oil.

Form the dough into a ball and roll it out to a very thin disk. Using a glass, cut out circles. Place filling in the center of each and seal the edges (you can slightly dampen them with water). Drop the dumplings in batches into salted boiling water and cook until they float to the surface.