Bacon and Perogi Pie

This is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever made - and also one of the coolest. In the end I'm not sure it was worth all of the time, but it sure is a spectacle. :)

This recipe comes from the Happy Opu site, and all you Firefly fans should recognize the site creator- Jewel Staite (she played Kaylee).

Bacon and Perogi Pie

Bacon Crust:

1 pkg. bacon (minus three or four slices: reserve those for the bacon lattice)

2 ½ cups flour

¼ tsp. salt

1 ½ sticks (¾ cup) very cold butter, cut into small dice-sized pieces

4 tbsp. rendered bacon grease

¾ cup ice cold water

1) Cook this package of bacon in your pan then crumble or chop into bits. Collect the bacon grease and chill.

2) Make sure the flour, butter, water and processor blade are cold. Add the crispy bacon, flour and salt and mix thoroughly. Add cold cubed butter and cold bacon grease and mix again. Add water and mix until a ball barely forms.

3) On a piece of saran wrap, dump contents of bowl and handling as little as possible, form into a ball. Press into a disk and wrap tightly with saran. Refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight.

Bacon Lattice:
1 pkg. bacon plus reserved pieces from crust recipe

1) Preheat oven to 375.

2) On a grill pan, weave a lattice with uncooked bacon the same as you would with dough for a pie. (To figure out how big to make it, trace your pie pan onto a piece of parchment paper to use as a guide)

3) Cook for approximately 20 minutes- the bacon should be halfway done.

4) Blot with paper towels and flip onto a piece of parchment paper.

Filling:

Lasagna noodles- maybe 6 (this is going to replicate the chew of perogi dough)

3 medium Russet Potatoes

1 large onion

4 tbsp. butter

1 cup cottage cheese

1 egg

I cup grated cheddar cheese

Green onions

1 cup sour cream

1) Boil a large pot of well salted water and cook lasagna noodles according to package instructions. Drain and reserve.

3) Fry onions in butter or bacon grease until golden and reserve.

2) Peel russet potatoes and boil in a large pot of salted water until fork tender. Drain and mash.

3) To the mashed potato add slightly beaten egg, fried onions, cottage cheese and salt and pepper to taste (make sure it’s well seasoned- this is where most of the pie flavor comes from and too bland= too boring). Let this mixture come to room temperature, and roll out the piecrust into your pie plate while you wait.

4) Into rolled out pie crust layer ½ cup cheddar cheese, 1/3 potato mixture, a layer of lasagna noodles (cut them to fit inside the plate), 1/3 potato mixture, layer of noodles, 1/3 potato mixture and finish with ½ cup cheddar cheese. Flip the bacon lattice on top and trim with scissors as necessary to fit your pie. Trim edges of pastry and crimp.

5 ) Bake in oven at 375 for forty five minutes to an hour- the bacon lattice should look crisp and the pie crust golden.

6) Let cool slightly, then cut and serve with sour cream and a sprinkle of green onion.

Notes: This would be great for a brunch. It's very rich, so cut in small portions! I used a deep-dish pie plate for this recipe.