Sauerkraut and mushroom pierogi

Step 1: Soak 1 oz dried porcini or bay bolete mushrooms in 300 ml just-boiled water for 30 minutes, until soft and floppy. Lift them out, squeeze them over the bowl and keep the soaking liquid; leave any grit at the bottom.

Step 2: Put 1 ⅛ lb sauerkraut in a pan with 1 bay leaf, 3 allspice berries, the mushrooms and 250 ml of the strained soaking liquid. Cover and simmer over a low heat for 30–35 minutes, until the cabbage is soft and most of the liquid has gone. Uncover for the last 5 minutes if it is still wet.

Step 3: Meanwhile fry 2 onions in 3 tbsp sunflower oil over a medium heat for 10–12 minutes, until golden brown.

Step 4: Remove the bay leaf and allspice. Chop the cabbage and mushrooms finely on a board (or pulse briefly in a food processor) and mix with the onion. Season with ¾ tsp black pepper and ½ tsp salt. The filling must be fairly dry: squeeze it in your fist and only a drop should come out. Cool completely.

Step 5: Make the dough: stir 2 tbsp sunflower oil and 1 cup hot water into 1 ⅛ lb plain flour with 1 tsp salt, then knead for 6–8 minutes until smooth and soft. Cover and rest for 20 minutes.

Step 6: Roll a quarter of the dough thinly, about 2 mm, and cut 7–8 cm circles. Fill each with a heaped teaspoon of filling, fold and pinch tightly. A common mistake is a wet filling: juice gets onto the edges and the pierogi open in the pot.

Step 7: Boil in batches in plenty of salted water. When they float, simmer for 2–3 minutes more, until the edges are tender. Lift out with a slotted spoon.

Step 8: Fry 1 onion in 3 tbsp sunflower oil until golden and spoon over. For the day-after version, fry boiled pierogi in a little oil over a medium heat for 3 minutes a side, until blistered and golden.