History

Pierogi are a pan-Polish dish, but the cod filling belongs to the Gdańsk coast where Baltic dorsz has been a kitchen staple since the Hanseatic period. Pierogarnia Stary Młyn carries a cod pierog on the menu; Cała Naprzód runs a chopped-zander pierogi when the boats land it.

Common allergens: Gluten, Fish, Egg, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 4 (about 24 pierogi)Hands-on 1 hrTotal 2 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 400g all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 1 large egg
  • 200ml warm water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 500g Baltic cod fillet, skinned
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 30g butter
  • Small bunch fresh dill, finely chopped
  • Salt, black pepper
  • Sour cream, to serve

Method

  1. Sift the flour with salt into a bowl. Make a well, crack in the egg, add the warm water. Mix into a soft dough; knead 8 minutes until smooth. Rest under a bowl for 30 minutes.
  2. Poach the cod in lightly salted water for 4 minutes. Drain, cool, flake into small pieces.
  3. Sweat the onion in the butter over low heat until soft and translucent, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flaked cod, dill, salt and pepper. Cool completely.
  4. Roll the dough to 2mm thickness. Cut 8cm rounds. Place a teaspoon of filling in the middle, fold and crimp the edges tight.
  5. Boil in salted water in batches for 3 to 4 minutes; they will float. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
  6. Serve straight away with sour cream and a scatter of extra dill, or pan-fry in butter until golden on each side.

Tip from the editors. Cod must be cooked just to flaking, not beyond. Overcooked filling sweats inside the pierogi and splits the dough.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat pierogi z dorszem (cod pierogi)

Pierogi z dorszem (Cod pierogi) in Gdańsk

Pierogarnia Stary Młyn ★ 4.0

Pierogarnia Stary Młyn in Gdańsk runs oven-baked pierogi at counter prices, a 12-piece plate under 32 PLN. Lunch sets pair with soup for 30 PLN.

Try: Oven-baked pierogi by the plate

Tip: Lunch sets are 30 PLN before 16:00; queues thin by 13:45.

ul. św. Ducha 64, 80-834 Gdańsk

Cała Naprzód ★ 4.0

Polish seafood€€main-town

Cała Naprzód in Gdańsk crowns the Maritime Culture Centre on Tokarska with a fourth-floor terrace beside the medieval Crane. Kashubian herring, Baltic salmon, pike-perch pierogi and the best Motława view in town.

Signature: Kashubian herring, Pike-perch and smoked-trout pierogi

Order: Pike-perch fillet with spinach and cauliflower, or the pike-perch and smoked-trout pierogi.

Tip: Take the museum's central glass lift directly to the fourth floor.

ul. Tokarska 21-25, 80-888 Gdańsk Book →

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