Potato Bacon Cheddar Scallion Pierogi

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I always love Pierogi, but never felt inspired to whip up a batch and make them myself. 

Until today.

And I'm wondering what took me so long to finally do it. 

Because I could have been in Pierogi heaven sooner. Way way sooner.

Because nothing's more comforting that sitting in front of the TV while it's raining outside, with a plate full of these delicious potato pockets drizzled with sour cream.

Because they're that good!

Ingredients:

For the dough:

• 1 egg, beaten
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Salt

For the filling:

• 1 pound Yukon potatoes
• 6 strips of Bacon
• 1 cup grated aged Cheddar
• 1/2 cup chopped scallion
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

Other:

• Pot of salted water for boiling
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter for frying
• 2 tablespoons chopped scallion for garnish
• Sour cream for dipping

Directions:

• To make the dough: In a large mixing bowl combine flour and salt, add sour cream, egg and salted butter and mix together. Knead the dough for about 5-10 minutes, until the dough is elastic and pulls away from the bowl. Wrap with plastic and store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to overnight. 
• Boil the potatoes in the pot until tender. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel the skin and mash until smooth. Cook the bacon until crispy, then crumble and add to the bowl of mashed potatoes. Add the rest of the ingredients into the bowl and mix thoroughly until well combined. Allow the filling to cool completely, then roll the filling into 1-inch balls.
• Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 1/8-inch thick. Using a round cookie cutter (about 5-inch in diameter), cut the dough into circles. Place a ball of filling in the center of each dough circle. Using your finger or pastry brush, wet the outer half of the circle, fold the dough in half and preset the edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the dumpling in small batches until they float to the top. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and let dry. 
• In a meanwhile, melt a stick of butter in a large frying skillet. Fry the dumpling until brown and crispy on each side. Serve with sour cream and chopped scallion while they're still warm.

Makes about 20 Pierogi