Sift the flour into a large sturdy bowl. 

Add the salt and mix it in well. 

Slowly dribble in the hot water (tap hot is fine), working it into the flour with your hands.

Keep at this until the whole cup has been used. 

If the flour is still shaggy and sticking to your hands, with dry flour in the bottom of the bowl, add more water, one small dribble at a time. 

Tilt the bowl and shake it to collect the dry flour in a corner and dribble water over it directly. 

Keep working the water into the dough with your hands until all of the dry flour is absorbed and it is no longer sticking to your fingers. 

Be careful as this happens fast. You’re better off being a bit on the dry side. 

Now grasp the bowl with your off hand and begin kneading the dough with your dominant hand, spinning either the dough ball or the bowl while you pummel the dough until it becomes smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. 

Cover the bowl with a towel and let the dough rest for about 20 minutes. 

Break off a handful of dough and put the rest of the dough ball back under the towel. 

Put the piece of dough on a floured surface and roll it out very thin. 

Use a cookie cutter, jar, or large glass to cut circles out of the rolled dough, about 3″ in diameter or so. 

Place about a tablespoon of whatever filling you’re using into the middle of each circle and fold them over into half moons. 

Use your fingers or a fork to pinch the edges together. You can leave them simple like in the picture, or pinch the edges into fancy fluted shapes. 

Place the pierogis onto a floured baking sheet while you work, being sure they don’t touch. 

Repeat until the dough is used up.

Any leftover dough can be rolled out and sliced into noodles, which can be boiled briefly and tossed in sauce for a quick lunch. 

The pierogis can be boiled and eaten, or boiled and sautéed in butter to crisp them up. 

If freezing, transfer the sheet tray of raw pierogis to the freezer and leave over night. 

The next day, dump them into labelled ziplock bags and keep in the freezer for 6-9 months. Enjoy!