Baked Pierogies and Cheese

My favorite foods change quite often. Tastes change. Moods change. But there are a few constants. Cheese. Potatoes. Beer. So when I’m brainstorming recipes, I think I naturally gravitate toward these things. Cause what’s better than cheese, potatoes and beer? Pasta. Adding pasta to the mix could help. Ok, I’m convinced. Let’s make this happen…

Baked PIerogies and Cheese…. like mac and cheese, but way better.

Baked Pierogies and Cheese
ingredients
12 fresh pierogies
4 tbsp butter, divided
2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1 tbsp flour
½ cup 2% milk
⅓ cup lager
15 cloves roasted garlic, mushed up with a fork
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
¼ cup shredded gruyere
¼ cup shredded fontina
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup shaved parmesan cheese
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray an 8×8″ baking dish with cooking spray. Boil pierogies and plop them in the dish.

In the meantime, melt 2 tbsp butter in a small saucepan. Add minced garlic and stir over medium-low heat until fragrant. 1-2 minutes. Whisk in flour. Slowly whisk in milk and lager. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened. 4-5 minutes.

Whisk in roasted garlic, salt, pepper and oregano. (Make sure roasted garlic gets broken up.) Slowly add in gruyere and fontina. Whisk until fully melted and incorporated. Pour over pierogies and gently mix with a spatula until they are coated.

In a bowl, microwave the other 2 tbsp of butter until melted. Toss in panko bread crumbs, followed by shaved parmesan. Sprinkle over pierogies and cheese.

Pop in your oven, bake for 35-45 minutes. Breadcrumb topping should be golden and crispy. Cheese should be bubbly.

Let it cool. Or you’ll die. Then eat it. Cause it’s fucking amazing.