Spinach and Kale Pierogis with Cripsy Paprika Onions and Sauerkraut Aioli

For the Crispy Paprika Onions:

1 onion

1/2 cup flour

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 cup non-dairy milk

Vegetable oil for frying

Peel and thinly slice the onion into half rounds. Whisk together the flour, paprika, baking powder, and non-dairy milk. Toss the thinly sliced onions in the batter to coat. 

Heat oil to 365 degrees F. 

Fry onions till nicely browned. Season with salt. Drain on paper towel. 

For the pierogis:

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 tablespoons ground flax seed

1 teaspoon "The Vegg" egg replacer

4 ounces vegan sour cream

1/4 cup kale or spinach (I used a combo of both)

1 1/2 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Place the water in the bowl of a food processor. With the processor running, add in the flax seed and "Vegg" egg replacer. Blend for 3 minutes. Add in the sour cream and blend till combined. Add in the kale and spinach and blend till smooth. Add in more if needed to get a nice bright green color. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add into the food processor with the liquid ingredients and blend till a soft dough forms.

Transfer to a lightly flour surface and knead for about 5 minutes, incorporating more flour if needed to from a smooth dough that is soft but not sticky. Wrap with plastic and set aside till ready to use. 

For the filling, you need about 1 cup of cold mashed potatoes. Making this when you already have leftover mashed potatoes is great since they will already be cold! If you need to make them specifically for this recipe, just peel and dice 2 to 3 potatoes. Place in a pot and fill with cold water. Bring to a boil and cook till potatoes are soft, about 15 minutes. Strain and place potatoes in a bowl. Mix with a couple tablespoons of vegan butter and a couple tablespoons of vegan cream cheese (Trader Joe's has the best vegan cream cheese!!!). Add in some grilled onions and garlic. Let mashed potatoes cool before filling pierogis.

Roll the pierogi dough to 1/8 inch thick. Cut out 3 inch rounds using a biscuit cutter. Place a small amount of mashed potatoes in center of each round. Brush the edges with water. Fold over and press the edges to seal. 

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil the pierogis for about 5 minutes. Remove from water. 

Heat a couple tablespoons of vegan butter in a small skillet over medium high heat. Brown the pierogis on one side. 

For the sauerkraut aioli, combine 1/2 cup Veganaise with 1 tablespoon sauerkraut. And for the slaw, toss some thinly sliced red cabbage with lemon juice and olive oil. 

To serve, place crispy onions on a plate, arrange the pierogis over the onions. Serve with the aioli, slaw, and some lemon zest.