Perogies

Weddings and holiday gatherings? Of course. But in the hands of these Albertans, the humble perogy is becoming the comfort food for urban peasants.

From where Marvin Karenko’s sitting, it’s hard not to be impressed by the transformation of the perogy in recent years.

“The perogy is basically a peasant food you didn’t really buy because it wasn’t considered a high-end food item. Now, they’re one of the top selling frozen foods in the West,” says Karenko, Sales Manager for Heritage Frozen Foods Ltd., Edmonton, which makes Cheemo Perogies.

Albertans love perogies. In fact, each of us consumes about 3.3 kilograms of them each year. The people of Glendon, Alberta even created a tourist attraction devoted to the epicurian delight: a gargantuan 6,000 pound perogy on a fork, standing 27-feet tall and 12-feet wide.

Karenko estimates that perogy manufacturing is a whopping $40 million business in Canada. On average, there are about 3.5 million perogies produced in Canada every day. The recipes haven’t changed much either. In fact, potato and cheddar are still the number one selling flavour across the country.

Elizabeth Kuklikowska, who serves up perogies daily at her restaurant, Euro Bistro Café in Calgary, says she has regulars that come strictly for her potato and cheese perogies. Others are more adventurous, preferring her spicy meat or sauerkraut and mushroom varieties.

“People are very traditional in their tastes when it comes to perogies. They prefer the old-fashioned flavour but they’re always willing to try something new.”

Not the same old side dish

From rural fare to urban flair, perogies fit the bill for nutrition and simplicity. Ray Takacs, national sales manager for Naleway Foods in Winnipeg, (which manufactures 18 private brands of perogies for grocery stores on the continent) cites the perogy has become a regular staple in Canadian kitchens.

“The perogy is an extension to the side dish. It’s an inexpensive, high carbohydrate food loved by people of all ages. And even though family units are changing, we’re finding there’s a demand for retail packages of perogies as large as 10 pounds,” Takacs states.

Keeping the price low and the quality high is always a priority for manufacturers. Says Takacs, “we use regional and national suppliers for all our ingredients. It’s not only good business sense, it also makes for a truly Canadian product.”

Make your own perogies

Elizabeth Kuklikowska says the ‘pinching stage’ is the biggest challenge when making the homemade variety.

“Work your fingertips well around the perogy so the filling doesn’t spill out when you boil them,” she says.

Homemade perogies are easier to make than you think. Just follow this easy-step recipe.

Perogy Dough

Makes about three dozen.

• 3/4 c warm water
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 well beaten egg
• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Mix water, oil and egg. Sift flour and salt. Add liquid to flour and mix well. Knead on board until dough is smooth. Cover and let stand two hours in a warm place. Later, roll out dough, cut into rounds and place a small spoonful of filling in the centre. Fold over and pinch to seal.

To cook, place perogies in boiling water with 3 tbsp. oil. When they float to the top they are ready. Scoop out, toss with butter/oil to prevent sticking together. Serve with fried green or white onions. To freeze, coat generously with flour and freeze individually on pans, then in freezer bags. Will store up to 60 days.

Filling alternatives: From meat and fruit to sauerkraut and mushrooms, visit www.growingalberta.com for more perogy filling ideas.

Perogy particulars

• Heritage Foods in Edmonton, producers of Cheemo Perogies, is Canada’s largest perogy manufacturer.
• More than 150 brokers promote and distribute Cheemo Perogies across the continent.
• Albertans eat an average of 1.5 kilos (3.3 lbs.) of frozen prepared perogies every year. This doesn’t include homemade varieties.
• Cheddar and potato is the top-selling flavour in Canada.
• Frozen perogy sales in Canada count for $40 million per year.

Growing Alberta Fact: Alberta is the third largest food manufacturing province in Canada.