Cheater Pierogi – This is No Polish Joke

I’ve always been a big fan of wonton skins. Not only have I used them for wonton soup, but also for tortellini, ravioli, and various other dumplings. They’re very user-friendly, but use a damp paper towel to cover the open package as you work, since they can dry out quickly and become harder to work with. Whenever I post like this, the most common questions usually revolve around what alternative fillings would work. Let me handle that issue right now. Anything will work as a filling. Literally. Most high-end grocery stores will have farmer’s cheese, but if you can’t find it, a mixture of half cream cheese and half ricotta would get you very close. I decided to break with family tradition and serve these with bacon and caramelized onions, as we usually just fry in a little butter and serve with sour cream. I blame Chicago’s Pierogi Heaven for this, since it was during a recent visit that I had a plate served similarly, and it was amazing. Anyway, whether you’re an old pro, or brand new to the joys of pierogi, I hope you give these easy, cheesy dumplings a try. Remember the old saying...if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying. Enjoy! Ingredients for about 50-60 Pierogi: 1 1/2 cups warm mashed potato 1 1/2 cup farmer’s cheese, or any cheese blend 1 large egg salt and pepper to taste pinch of cayenne 50-60 wonton wrappers sour cream and chives as needed Bacon and Onion Sauce (enough to garnish about 12 pierogi) 4 slices bacon, sliced thin 1/2 large yellow onion, diced 2 tsp butter *After bacon is crisp, drain excess fat, reserving about 2 tbsp to fry pierogi.