Slovak filled dumplings, the classic version with sheep cheese or with sauerkraut and mushrooms, served boiled or fried with bacon and sour cream at every honest Bratislava pub.

Pirohy are the Slovak first cousin of Polish pierogi and Ukrainian varenyky, Slavic-tradition filled dumplings codified in regional Slovak recipes. The bryndza-filled version is the Bratislava local; the sauerkraut and mushroom version anchors Christmas week. Pirohy share documented ancestry with the dumpling traditions of the Carpathian Slavs, traced to the medieval monastery kitchens of Spis and Saris regions.

Where to eat Pirohy in Bratislava

5 editor picks for Pirohy in Bratislava, ranked by editorial score. All Bratislava signature dishes · Pirohy across every city.

Make it at home

Serves 41 hr 30 minIntermediate

Ingredients

  • 400 g plain flour
  • 1 egg
  • 200 ml warm water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 300 g bryndza sheep cheese
  • 100 g sour cream
  • 150 g smoked bacon, diced
  • Chopped chives

Method

  1. Mix the flour, egg, warm water and salt to a smooth dough. Rest 30 minutes covered.
  2. Roll the dough out thin on a floured board.
  3. Cut rounds with an 8 cm cutter.
  4. Place a teaspoon of bryndza on each round, fold in half and seal the edge.
  5. Render the bacon in a hot pan.
  6. Bring salted water to a rolling boil, cook pirohy in batches 3-4 minutes until they float.
  7. Lift out with a slotted spoon.
  8. Toss with the bacon and its fat, finish with sour cream and chives.

Editor tip. Seal the pirohy carefully; any crack lets the cheese leak into the water.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy.