STEAM-y Delectables: Pierogi recipes from Marie Curie's homeland
Sharing one of Poland's favorite delectables
STEAM-y Delectables is a new monthly post where I will be sharing dishes inspired by the countries of origin of famous women in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (aka STEAM). If you try one of these recipes, and you love it, please share your experience in the comments.
Dr. Marie Skłodowska-Curie
Birthplace: Poland
Marie Skłodowska Curie was born November 7, 1867 in Warsaw, Poland. Most known for her work in pioneering the field of radioactivity, Curie is the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and she is the only woman to win the award in two different fields. In 1903, Curie won the Nobel Prize in Physics, awarded jointly with Henri Becquerel and her husband, Pierre Curie. In 1911, Curie was the sole winner of the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. The Curies discovered two elements, radium and polonium — the latter named in honor of her beloved Poland. Her life's work is both fascinating and an inspiration to generations of scientists worldwide.
Later this month, Origins will feature an interview with living history scholar Susan Marie Frontczak on the origins of her award-winning portrayal of Marie Skłodowska Curie along with producer/filmmaker Jen Myronuk as we explore the stories behind their STEM on Stage digital theater collaboration Humanity Needs Dreamers: A Visit With Marie Curie.
For now, we invite you to share in one of Curie’s culinary delights from Poland — Pierogi!
Pierogi
Pierogi are dumplings made with unleavened dough and are typically filled with mashed potatoes. They are a popular dish in Poland, as well as in other places in Central and Eastern Europe. Pierogi can have a variety of other types of fillings (mashed potatoes and farmer’s cheese, fried onions, mushrooms, sauerkraut, ground meat, and spinach, to name of few).
BASIC INGREDIENTS
Yield: 24 to 30 pierogi
FOR THE DOUGH
2 cups/255 grams all-purpose flour (preferably unbleached), plus more as needed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large egg, beaten
FOR THE FILLING (for other filling types, see recipes below)
½ pound waxy or all-purpose potatoes
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 medium yellow onions (about 8 ounces each), finely chopped
½ cup quark cheese, cottage cheese or sour cream (about 4 ounces)
FOR SERVING
Butter, for pan-frying (optional)
Sour cream, for garnish
Chopped fresh parsley or dill, for garnish
Recipes
I have curated a few highly rated recipes for pierogi.
Traditional pierogi (potatoes only) - video with 1.9M views
Traditional pierogi (potato and cheese) - 5.0 stars from 1.2K + ratings
Meat and Potato pierogi - 4.8 stars from 3K+ ratings
Pierogi with sauerkraut - 4.3 stars from 98 ratings
Smacznego! Bon appetit!
“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” - Virginia Woolf
Stay tuned for my next interview coming out this Thursday (September 7, 2023) with MIT astronomer and astrophysicist, Professor Anna Frebel!
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