A characteristic, traditional Polish dish similar to ravioli and dumplings. Made of folded pasta bread with a filling, frequently
cottage cheese and
mashed potatoes (this form is called "pierogi ruskie", lit. "Russian pierogi", which is a non-indicative name as the dish is not from Russia). They can also be made with meat, spinach, wild
strawberries and other fillings. Pierogi are served cooked, sometimes cooked and fried, with a topping. The topping can be fried onion, skwarki (Polish form of pork rind, cut up into small dice and deep-fried) or sometimes smetana (sour heavy cream).
Important note: "Pierogies" is a glaring and bad grammatical error, it's a double plural. "Pierogi" is the correct plural and "pieróg" 'pjεrug ("pyeh-roog") is the real singular. Polish people are happy to remind every foreigner who makes this mistake. Also, it's "pierogi", not "pierogie".
A: We'll go to that traditional Polish restaurant for dinner. What do you want from there?
B:
I don't know, maybe some pierogi with meat.
A: OK, nice. I'll get some sour rye soup.
alt.
A: Waiter, I'd like the kotlet schabowy with
mashed potatoes and lettuce.
B: I'd like some pierogies with meat.
A: Excuse me. *turns to B* Hey, "pierogies" is not a word. Singular "pieróg", plural "pierogi".
B:
I don't believe you. What's the matter? Isn't the singular spelled "p-i-e-r-o-g-i-e" anyway?
*pimpslap.gif*
A: Didn't you take a single look at the menu? The plural is "P-I-E-R-O-G-I", without an E at the end! The singular is "pieróg"! P-I-E-R-O acute-G! "Pyeh-roog"! Say it!
B: *shaking* ...pyeh-roog?
A: Good!
B: I... get it. But...
A: But what?
B: Don't you Poles already double-pluralize English loan words? "Chips - chipsy" (chips in the American meaning), "dżins - dżinsy" (jeans)?
A: Oh, I guess you're right. *ashamed.jpg*
