A cross between a dumpling and Italian ravioli, the Polish delicacy is not to be confused with the Russian pirozhki
The genealogy of one of Poland's culinary delights leads the uninitiated swiftly but surely through the minefield of empire, invasion and several centuries of eastern European history. Polish pierogi, a cross between a doughy dumpling and Italian ravioli or tortellini, are not to be confused with the Russian pirozhki, a baked bun stuffed with savoury or sweet fillings. But ask Russians what pierogi resemble, and they show no hesitation. It is, of course, nothing more than Russian pelmeni, they reply. Ukrainians hotly disagree. It's vareniki, because they are boiled until they float. The debate is further complicated by ruskie pierogi, with a filling of potato, white cheese and onion. Ruskie has nothing to do with Russia but Red Ruthenia or Eastern Galacia, which is now part of Ukraine. It is as straightforward as that. Whoever owns the copyright, the dish itself is delicious, although not for those pondering regime change. The word pierogi is plural for a reason; one is never enough. But once two or three have slipped down (filled with sauerkraut and dried mushrooms or minced pork, mushrooms and cabbage, with the attendant sour cream), weight-watching must be a distant memory. The dish is as versatile as its many fillings. It also knocks on the head the notion that fast food is a North American phenomenon, but for too long pierogi were displaced by the superior marketing of McDonald's. It is time the flow of the fast-food industry was reversed and pierogi were a common sight on the streets of Britain.