Dinner Tonight: Pierogi Lasagna

For the Pierogi dough:

1 Egg 
3/4 cup Sour Cream 
8 tablespoon Unsalted Butter (softened) 
1 tablespoon Fresh Chives (chopped) 
1 teaspoon Kosher Salt 
2 cups All-Purpose Flour (plus more for rolling dough)  
 
Make the Pierogi Dough: To make the dough, work the egg, sour cream, butter (8 tablespoons), chives, and salt together by hand to form a dough. Don't worry if the mixture is not uniform and, as with pie dough, don't overwork it. Add flour and mix thoroughly with your hands until a dough forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

For the Lasagna:

• 1 recipe of Pierogi dough
• 1 pound bacon (chopped)
• 2 large yellow onions (sliced thinly)
• 1 1/2 cups gruyere cheese
• 1 1/2 cups farmer's cheese
• 2 pounds russet potatoes (peeled and cut into large chunks)
• 1 cup heavy cream (hot)
• 1 stick butter (cold and cubed)
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil

To Top:

• sour cream
• chives (finely chopped)

In a large pot, add the potatoes and cover by 2 inches with cold water. Bring to a boil. Season the water generously with salt. Reduce the temperature to a simmer and cook until a knife easily pierces the potatoes.

Strain and return potatoes to the same pot. Mash, mixing in the hot cream incrementally, along with the butter. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Set aside

In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped bacon. Cook until crispy, about 10 minutes, and then remove with a slotted spoon to a plate.

Toss the onions into the pan, using the bacon fat to coat the onions evenly. Season with salt and pepper and stir frequently. Cook over medium heat until the onions are caramelized and sweet. 

Take off the heat and let cool. Butter a casserole dish and set aside.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll the pierogi dough out with a pasta roller (or rolling pin) to a 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the pieces into 4-inch by 13-inch strips. You will need about 14 to 20 strips.

Have the caramelized onions, gruyere cheese, farmer's cheese, crispy bacon, mashed potatoes and pasta at the ready. Put a layer of pierogis on the bottom of the pan, slightly overlapping the edges of the strips. Spread a 1/2-inch layer of potatoes on top of the pierogi strips. Scatter with caramelized onions, bacon and a sprinkling of the gruyere. Dollop with the farmer's cheese. Continue with the rest of the ingredients, following the same order while building the pierogi pie. Finish the pie with the pierogi pieces on top with a layer of farmer's cheese and gruyere. Grind black pepper over the top.

Cook for about 40 minutes, or until the pierogi pie is bubbly and the cheese on top is golden brown. 

To Top: Let sit for 15-20 minutes and then serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives.