Pierogi Lasagna: 28 Days of Super Bowl Recipes

Does it seem like no one is talking about the NFL playoffs quite yet? All the chatter so far this week seems to be centered around the Jets locker room implosion, which team is (foolishly) going after head coach Jeff Fisher and 2012 draft predictions.

I asked one of my fantasy football leagues this morning if they felt the same way or if it was just me, and I got back responses brought up that despite how banged up the Steelers it seems unlikely they’ll lose to the Broncos (bad mojo), that the Steelers are such a mess injury-wise no knows how they’re going to do this post-season (maybe), and that maybe just no one wants to jinx the game because of the former (agreed).

In retrospect, I should have maybe asked this question of broader sampling of fans and not just my homer-league, because I don’t get feeling the Steelers fan base is alone here. Sure, the Texans are excited because it’s their first playoff game in Houston since 1994, but is anyone actually talking about it other than in Texas? Is it because no one knows how to hype a game featuring two rookie quarterbacks? Saints fans have the additional distraction of the LSU-‘Bama game. On Twitter, I follow at least a couple of dozen Giants and Falcons fans, but haven’t seen a single word out of any of them about this weekend’s bout. Noted 49ers fan/Off the Bench editor/Daulerio-hater Rick Chandler even feels left out, “49ers are pretty much absent from any media Super Bowl discussions, giving the playoffs a distinct 2010 SF Giants feel to them,” and that’s the most I’ve seen from anyone I follow whose team is on a bye-week.

Maybe it’s because the NFL’s final two weeks of the season were played on holidays. Maybe it’s because there are still bowl games, well, being ludicrous bowl games. (If you haven’t read Holly’s piece on Airraid, you should get to it sooner rather than later.) Maybe it’s because it’s many of the same playoff teams this season; Packers, Saints, Giants, Steelers, Patriots and Ravens, and fans are tired of them in the way they’re tired of the Red Sox, Yankees and Cardinals.

Pierogi Lasagna

Longtime Football Foodie readers know we’re no strangers to matching pierogies with football around these parts. Making traditional homemade pierogies is easy enough and we’re still making special blue cheese pierogies in Buffalo sauce when the craving hits around game time.

But the only problem with making pierogies from scratch is that it’s quite a time commitment. What if you want the taste of pierogies, but don’t want to spend a couple of hours in the kitchen? Easy. You make a pierogi lasagna. All the cheese, onions and potatoes you could ever need layered between lasagna noodles gives you the same taste without all the work.

Strike that. This version has way more delicious, creamy cheese melted between fluffy potatoes with the soft bite of onion and garlic.

You will need:

5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped (approximately 5 lbs, it can be a little more or a little less)
3 pounds onions, sliced
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
12-14 lasagna noodles (Just under a pound of packaged lasagna, or you can make the whole box just to be safe.)
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/2 cup sour cream, plus more for topping (approximately a tablespoon or so a serving)
1/4 milk
salt and pepper
cooking spray or vegetable oil to coat the baking dish

Preheat oven to 350º.

In separate large pots, boil salted water for both the potatoes and lasagna noodles.

Cook the lasagna noodles as per the package directions and boil the potatoes like you were making mashed potatoes.

Tip: Get the potatoes and onions started set before making the lasagna noodles since they take more time than the pasta.

While the potatoes are going, slice the onions and separate the rings a bit and mince the garlic. If you prefer to dice up your onions a bit, have at it.

In a large skillet, melt 1/2 cup butter.

Once the butter has melted, saute the onions over medium heat until translucent and then add the garlic and reduce the heat just a bit. Cook for a few more minutes until the garlic has opened up and the onions have mostly softened.

Once the potatoes are soft, drain off all the water. Return the pot to the stove and put over low heat and give the pot a good shake and the spuds a good stir to get the last of the water out of them.

Remove from heat and mix in a little more than half of the shredded cheddar cheese (it will melt right away), the sour cream and the milk. Season with about a teaspoon or two of kosher salt and about a teaspoon of freshly ground pepper.

Once the lasagna noodles are done, drain.

Coat a 9×13 baking dish with a light coating cooking spray or vegetable oil. Create a base layer of lasagna noodles.

Then a layer of mashed potatoes. Let’s say about 1/4-1/3 of your potatoes.

Then a layer of onions and then a layer of cheese.

Repeat until you’ve filled the pan with a final layer of lasagna noodles. You should get about three layers.

Take whatever melted butter is left in the bottom of the skillet and drizzle it over the top so the noodles don’t dry out too much.

Cover the lasagna with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, until rapidly bubbling.

Remove the foil and let the pierogi lasagna rest before slicing.

Pierogi layers! (And too warm photography!)

Top with sour cream and serve.

Don’t forget to send your recipes for Super Bowl Guacamole Week, deadline is Monday.

Your 360-interactive-all-media-guide for the Football Foodie and the 28 Days of Super Bowl recipes can be found here, so you can follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and our own new glorious galleries that can be found at the top of this very post!