Basic Pierogi How-To (Just Like Martha Makes)

It takes nimble fingers to knead, roll, and shape the dough for the delectable Polish dumplings known as pierogi.

Here's why pierogi are Martha's favorite food.

Transfer to cornmeal-dusted towel; loosely cover with plastic. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Working in batches, transfer pierogi to pot of boiling water. Pierogi will sink to the bottom and then rise. Once they rise, cook through, about 2 minutes more (or up to 4 minutes for plum pierogi, depending on ripeness of fruit).

For savory pierogi, coat a platter with half the butter. Transfer pierogi to platter using a slotted spoon. Drizzle pierogi with remaining butter, and season with salt. For sweet pierogi, transfer to a platter using a slotted spoon, and dot with sour cream.

Ready to try your hand at making pierogi? Start with a classic potato filling -- Martha's secret ingredient is cream cheese, which adds richness and a subtle tang. Serve finished dumplings with nutty brown butter.

Cabbage is steamed, put through a meat grinder, and amped up with butter and cream cheese until it strikes the perfect balance between tender and crunchy. Clarified butter lets the flavor of the filling shine.

Everyone will love the burst of sweet-tart blueberries that accompanies every bite of these tender dumplings. A dollop of nutmeg-flecked sour cream takes them over the top.

Italian plums keep these dessert dumplings nice and light. The seasonal fruits are available from mid-August to September, so turning them into pierogi is the perfect way to say goodbye to summer.