Polish National Dishes

Głowno Savoury Cheese Pierogi (Pierogi z Głowna)

Introduction: These small Łódzkie pierogi pair soft, egg-enriched dough with a savoury twaróg filling seasoned with onion, salt and black pepper.

Polish National Dishes
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A wide platter of Łódzkie cheese pierogi, with one split open to reveal the onion-seasoned filling.
Yield 4 servings, 32 small pierogi
Serving 8 pierogi, one quarter of the recipe
Diet vegetarian; contains wheat, egg and milk
Prep 35 minutes
At a glance

Głowno Savoury Cheese Pierogi (Pierogi z Głowna)

Introduction: These small Łódzkie pierogi pair soft, egg-enriched dough with a savoury twaróg filling seasoned with onion, salt and black pepper.

Pierogi z Głowna are associated with Głowno and nearby communities in Łódzkie. The traditional pieces are small half-moons, roughly 6 cm across and 1.5–2 cm thick, with a pale, delicate exterior and a distinctive ruffled seam. The Ministry of Agriculture's traditional-product entry records both fruit and cheese fillings.

Cheese fillings could be savoury, with pepper, salt and onion, or sweetened for holidays with beet sugar, honey or raisins. Fruit versions used local forest and orchard produce. The dough was made with flour, eggs, oil and water, and the pierogi could be boiled or baked. This measured home recipe follows the documented savoury cheese variation; it is not presented as the exact formula of a registered producer.

For a tidy filling, soften the onion in a little oil and cool it completely before mixing it with crumbled twaróg. Roll the rested dough thinly, use small rounds, and press out air before sealing each half-moon with a ruffled edge. Boil in batches until the pieces float, then cook briefly until the dough is tender and the filling is hot.

Tips

Tips

  • Use full-fat twaróg that is crumbly rather than wet. Drain it briefly if liquid collects in the package.
  • Let the cooked onion cool fully; warm onion can soften the cheese and make the filling harder to seal inside the dough.
  • Keep the filling in small crumbles. Do not blend it into a paste.
  • Roll the dough to about 1.5 mm so it cooks through while remaining tender.
  • Use roughly 16 g filling per 6.5 cm round and leave a clean border for sealing.
  • Press out trapped air before closing each half-moon, then pinch a continuous ruffle along the edge.
  • Keep shaped pierogi covered and boil them promptly. Avoid a violent boil, which can split the seams.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Dough

  • 400 g all-purpose wheat flour, plus a little for dusting
  • 1 l arge egg, about 50 g without shell
  • 20 ml neutral oil
  • 160 ml warm water, added gradually
  • 4 g fine salt

Savoury twaróg filling

  • 400 g full-fat twaróg (Polish farmer's cheese), crumbled; drain if noticeably wet
  • 100 g yellow onion, finely diced
  • 10 ml neutral oil, for the onion
  • 4 g fine salt
  • 1 g ground black pepper

For boiling

  • 4 L water
  • 12 g salt
Method

Method

Directions

  1. Mix and rest the dough.Combine the flour and 4 g salt in a large bowl. Beat the egg with the warm water and 20 ml oil. Pour the liquid into the flour gradually, mixing until a soft, workable dough forms. Knead for 6–8 minutes until smooth, cover and rest for 20 minutes.

  2. Soften the onion.Heat 10 ml oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until soft and lightly golden. Spread it on a plate and cool completely.

  3. Make the filling.Crumble the twaróg into a bowl. Add the cooled onion, 4 g salt and black pepper; mix gently. Keep the filling crumbly, not wet or puréed. Refrigerate it if it will not be used promptly.

  4. Shape the pierogi.Divide the dough into four portions and keep unused portions covered. Roll one portion on a lightly floured surface to about 1.5 mm thick. Cut 6.5 cm rounds. Put about 16 g filling in the centre of each, fold into a half-moon, press out air and seal firmly. Pinch a small ruffle along the edge. Keep the shaped pierogi covered.

  5. Boil in batches.Bring 4 L water and 12 g salt to a boil in a large pot. Add 8–10 pierogi at a time and stir gently once. When they float, cook for about 2 more minutes, until the dough is tender and the cheese filling is hot. Maintain a steady, gentle boil.

  6. Drain and serve.Lift the pierogi out with a slotted spoon and drain briefly. Serve hot.

Nutrition and allergens

Nutrition and allergens

  • Energyabout 600 kcal per serving
  • Proteinabout 30 g
  • Fatabout 20 g
  • Saturated fatabout 7 g
  • Carbohydrateabout 81 g
  • Sugarsabout 3 g
  • Fibreabout 3 g

Contains wheat (gluten), egg and milk. Wash hands and clean surfaces after handling raw egg. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 74 °C / 165 °F throughout.

Nutrition and allergens

Nutrition and allergens

Serving and storage: Serve soon after boiling, while the dough is tender and the savoury cheese filling is hot. The documented Głowno tradition also includes fruit fillings and sweet cheese versions; this recipe follows the salted, peppered and onion-seasoned cheese variation.

Serving and storage: Refrigerate cooked leftovers within 2 hours in a shallow covered container at 4 °C or colder. Use within 3–4 days and reheat throughout to 74 °C / 165 °F. If preparing ahead, keep the filling chilled and shape the pierogi shortly before boiling. Do not leave filled raw pierogi at room temperature while waiting to cook.

Contains wheat (gluten), egg and milk. Wash hands and clean surfaces after handling raw egg. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat to 74 °C / 165 °F throughout.

Sodium: about 850 mg

Approximate estimate per 8 pierogi; values vary with the twaróg's fat and sodium content and are not laboratory analysis.