It has been so frigid in Pittsburgh, so I wanted to make some bread. Something hearty to warm me up and my kitchen.  I love Pierogi with mashed potatoes and onions, so let’s combine these flavors with a lovely homemade bread dough…………

Let’s make the mashed spuds and onions first:

• 1 1/2 lbs Golden Potatoes (4 medium size) peeled and cubed
• 2 Tblsp Butter
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 Tblsp Sour Cream
• 1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 2 large Sweet Yellow Onions, diced
• 1 stick (4 oz) Butter

Put the potatoes into a medium saucepan, cover with water and a little bit of salt.  Cook, with a lid on, until fork tender.  Drain, put into a mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, add the 2 Tblsp butter, salt, pepper, sour cream and cheddar. Mix until smooth, scrape down bowl.  Set aside to cool.

Now melt the stick of Butter in a large sautee pan, add that moutain of onions and cook until lightly golden.  Stir occasionally.  Season with salt and pepper, set aside to cool.

Bread Dough (makes 2 loaves)

• 6 Cups White Bread Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp(1/4 oz envelope) Fast Active Dry Yeast
• 2 2/3 Cup Lukewarm Water (check temp on wrist, not too hot or it will kill the yeast, not too cool or it will not activate it)
• 1 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Sift the flour and salt together into a large bowl.  Mix the yeast and 2/3 Cup of the water until combined.  Make a well in the middle of the flour and pour in the yeast water.  Mix with a spatula, then add in the other 2 Cup of water and shredded cheddar.  Dump dough onto your work table.  You will knead this for 10 minutes.  Seems long, so I set a timer and make sure I have some music playing. This is very relaxing and this dough recipe is so soft and wonderful to work with.

Now place dough into an oiled bowl (I use veg oil).  Cover with oiled saran wrap.  Easiest to lay 2 sheets of plastic wrap on work table and use hands to wipe the sheets with the oil.  Let rise 1 hour.  After the hour, plop dough onto work table.  You don’t need to flour the table, the dough is not sticky.  Cut the dough in half.  One at a time, roll one half of the dough into a 15″ x 12″ rectangle.  Approximate, no need to get out the ruler!

Spread half of the cooled potato mixture over dough up to 1/2″ of the border.  I found it easiest to use spatula and hands to smooth it out.  Now take 1/4 of the onions and spread over the potato mixture.

Starting with sides of dough, fold them in about 1″ towards center, then start to roll up from bottom.  This will keep the filling inside of the bread.  Lay seam side down onto greased baking sheet. (or parchment lined, if you have it) Lightly flatten top of loaf with your hands and put another of the 1/4 of onions on top.  

Repeat with the other half of the dough.  Cover each loaf with a piece of that oiled saran wrap.  Let rise for 30 minutes.  If your kitchen is cold like mine, now is the time that I preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  It helps to warm up the kitchen which in turn allows the dough to rise better.

After dough has risen, take off saran wrap and place each sheet on separate oven racks.  Bake for 25 minutes, now switch tray positions, top to bottom, bottom to top, and bake for another 25 minutes.

Let cool on trays for 15 minutes, then put onto cooling racks, if you have them. 

While these are baking, your kitchen will smell as if you are sauteeing pierogis in onions and butter.  I love this bread warm, no butter needed. The smooth texture of the potatoes, buttery onions and soft chew of the bread dough makes a perfect combination for bread and Pierogi lovers alike. Also a great addition to a Kielbasa dinner.  Make some tonight, it will warm up your kitchen and your belly!