Perogie, Pierogi, Pyroghi

I've learned a few things while making many, many perogies.  What would a food blog be, if I didn't let you know the pits and traps to avoid?

What not to do:

- Do not thaw perogies before you boil them.  They will melt into a clump.

- Don't roll the dough out too thick.  You may be able to ensure the filling stays in, but the texture will be doughy or chewy.

- Don't let people eat the filling.  You won't have enough left, when you need it. Really.  Watch it like a hawk.

- You may want to save time by cutting and peeling the potatoes ahead of time.  If you do, soak them in water.  Otherwise, they will develop skin.  This is not appealing in the least.

- Don't make the potato filling cold.  It's harder to stir in the ingredients.

- Don't make perogies on a hot day.  It will be too hot to cook, and you will start thinking about everything else you want to do.  You won't finish.

- Don't use a stick blender to mash the potatoes.  It will end up like a paste, rather than a good mash.  It's very difficult to close up a perogie with paste.  In addition, it takes away the texture.

- If you are freezing them, make sure they are spaced out in a way that they are not touching each other.  Also, don't put them in a bag until they are completely frozen.  Otherwise, you will have a giant perogie.  This sounds good, but it isn't. The dough won't all cook, and the filling will burst out on the ones that do.  All around unappetizing.

- Not all potatoes are created equally.  Don't use the yellow potatoes.  Some are meant for boiling and mashing, some are meant for roasting.  I've started to love red potatoes, as there aren't any small lumps left after mashing them.

These are a lot of negatives, but trust me - you'll end up with a positive experience.