Russian pirogi ("pierogi ruskie") or Polish pierogi?

Why are they called Russian pirogi and not Polish Pirogi?
I mean they were invented in Poland.
Anyone have any clue why they are called like that?

actually i believe they are an invention from Ukraine

This pierogi-dough recipe is called fool-proof in some US Polonian circles. It creates a very delciate, tender pasta shell which does not go tough when fried.

Simply combine 2 cups flour, 1 c sour cream, 1 small egg and a pinch of salt. Work ingredients into a uniform dough, roll out thin, cut in cirlces, fill, form, pinch shut and proceed as with all pierogi.

As mentioned above, Polish speakers often call mashed potatoes with farmer's cheese and onion Ruthenian pierogi (Polish: Ruskie pierogi), from Wikipedia

It's just the style

there are many such names in the polish cuisine

barszcz ukraiński
placek węgierski
fasolka po bretońsku
karp po żydowsku
pierogi ruskie
ryba po grecku

It may indicate that Poles have always regarded everything that is foreign as much more appealing :)

In my humble opinion, there isn't a common definition. In Krakow I got some fried piergies with the name Russian pierogies. In a Russian restaurant here in my city, Russian pieorgies are yet different than anything I've ever eaten in either Poland or the Ukraine.

that's what i think of when someone says ruskie (russian)


i checked wiki in PL and it said they most likely came from far east.. there was a mention of the Urals. hmm.. i know chinese have a very similar food item but the 'skin' is quite loose on them and i have never seen them filled with anything but ground beef.

I must admit, I don't know much about Russian food

same as Polish,just different names or spellings :)
kasha,borsht,pierogi,that stuff thats just a big lump of fat....anyhoo,pirogi's just ravioli without the tomato sauce :)

Aside of Poland and Ukraine there are also Belarus and Russia that claim pierogi to be their national dish. Truth be told all those countries have the right to do so. As for the "pierogi ruskie", they are as much russian as "ryba po grecku" is Greek. Just to make things clear, there is no such thing as "ryba po grecku" in Greek cuisine. :)

as Seanus explained "pierogi ruskie" is just one type of pierogi (with the filling he described), besides centuries ago "ruski" (Ruthenian, today's Ukrainian or partly Bielorussian) could be simply referring to eastern parts of Poland (just like Mazovian, Silesian etc.), because those lands were incorporated into the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.

so far nobody reallly knows why they are called Ruskie and the above speculations don't seem to change that.

Yeah, i mean Poland could make Pizza a national dish after enough time goes by- who am I to judge?
But I've never heard of Pierogi coming from any other country other than Ukraine. Even when I first came here, people went on and on about Polish pierogi and i bit my lip. But even older Poles seem to admit that Pierogi are an old import. If they also originated here (more or less at the same time or before) I'd love to know about it so I can have my facts straight.

Pierogi Ruskie has no meat. Great for vegi's in PL.

Some time ago I read an article, written by Makłowicz ( if i remember correctly) who stated that pierogi most likely came to eastern/central europe with the mongols from the far east. Similiar thing happened with the sour cabbage(kapusta kiszona). This dish has been adopted and throughout the centuries modified by the four named earlier nations. I doubt that one could actually trace the exact place of origin of that dish but what we know for certain is that it has been part of Polish, Belarus, Ukraine and Russian cuisine for centuries. I think that all four nations claims are valid. Still I would be interested why do you think that pierogi are strictly an Ukrainian dish. and not say Belarusian?

PS: I'm from Wielkopolska and truth be told my grandmother tried pierogi for the first time only few years ago. It was never part of our regional cuisine and I must say that pyzy with kaczka po poznańsku and kapusta modra is my favourte polish dish. mmmm :) Pierogi are also nice though. ;)

cool.


I had simply never heard or read of any "lore" taking the invention of it/them farther back than Urkaine and (i always forget about them) Belorus.

But I do appreciate the info you've provided- now I can one up my friends and get a cuisine debate going at the drop of a hat ;)