When a Winnipegger has never been to Alycia’s in the North End-it is a kind of sacrilege.  Pierogies are part of my eastern European heritage, so it is silly that I had never been.  The late John Candy was so fond of Alycia’s cooking that he had her pierogies flown to California for him.

Alycia’s pierogies can be served deep fried, pan-fried or boiled and come traditionally filled with cheese and potato or upon special request with cottage cheese or sauerkraut.  The cottage cheese ones that I ordered were sweetened slightly and since I also had kubassa the combination of sweet and salty was just to my liking.

Since I was raised on my Polish Grandma and then my Mom’s hand pinched pierogies, I am a pierogi snob.  I don’t go for deep frying or stuffing them with Mexican ingredients.  Don’t mess with my carbs!  I do admit that I have tasted perogy lasagne and Boston’s Pizza’s perogy pizza and was duly impressed.  But that was because the essential ingredients of potato, onion, bacon, cheese and sour cream were all included. 

Perogy lasagne recipe:

Ingredients

5 potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 c milk

1/2 c butter, melted

1/2 pound bacon, diced

1 onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 (16 oz) package lasagna noodles

2 c shredded Cheddar cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1 (8 ounce) container sour cream

3 T chopped fresh green onions

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place the potatoes in a large pot with water to cover over high heat.  Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender. Remove from heat, drain, then combine with the milk and 6 tablespoons of butter, mash and set aside.  Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute the bacon, onion and garlic in the butter for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the bacon is fully cooked.  Cook the lasagna noodles according to package directions and cool under running water.  Place 1/2 of the mashed potatoes into the bottom of a 9×13 buttered baking dish. Top this with 1/3 of the cheese, followed by a layer of lasagna noodles. Repeat this with the remaining potatoes, another 1/3 of the cheese and a layer of noodles. Then arrange the bacon, onion and garlic over the noodles, then another layer of noodles, and finally top all with the remaining cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F  for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with sour cream and chopped green onions.

Kath’s quote: “Throughout history, the Poles have defended Europe. They would fight, and – between battles – they would eat and drink.”-E. de Pomiand

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