If I had to choose my favorite sweet dish in Slovak cooking, the chiming of pirohy would ring in my head. Similar to Polish pierogi, these dumplings are stuffed with plum jam or sweetened cottage cheese, pressed into a triangle shape, and slathered with butter and powdered sugar. Pirohy are a staple of Slovak cuisine—delicious, inexpensive, and easy to make in large batches to feed a family. Each region of Slovakia adds its own twist through local ingredients or preparation methods, each reflecting its history and geography.
One traditional variation uses potato dough with a goat cheese filling, but the sweeter version—my grandma’s version—has always been my favorite. During every visit to Slovakia, I would ask for it again and again. Once I realized how much effort the dish required, I started helping in the kitchen. I miss it dearly when I’m away, and I’ve tried to recreate it with my grandma’s guidance over the phone. Though the ingredients here in the U.S. aren’t quite the same, I’ve managed to make a decent version—yet nothing compares to the ones made by her hands.
The process of making pirohy can take all morning, but the result is more than worth it. Slovaks love sweet foods for lunch—Slovak crepes, for example, are a typical midday meal—so pirohy make for the perfect lunchtime treat. In short, the process goes like this: first, the dough is mixed by hand—a blend of flours with an egg cracked into the middle.
After the dough is kneaded until smooth, it’s rolled out into a thin sheet and cut into squares. A spoonful of sweetened cottage cheese (tvaroh) or plum jam (lekvar) is placed in the center. Each square is folded and pressed shut—sometimes across the middle, sometimes diagonally—to form a rectangle or triangle.
The dumplings are then placed gently into boiling water, along with any leftover bits of dough too small or misshapen to fill. Once they rise to the surface, they’re scooped out, mixed with melted butter, and dusted generously with powdered sugar. Both fillings—the creamy cheese and the sweet plum—are irresistible, and even the plain dough pieces taste amazing. Traditionally, pirohy are served in one big bowl, everyone helping themselves until only crumbs remain.
This sharing tradition comes from the days of large Slovak families, where you had to eat fast before your siblings took the last one. Your first bite is pure heaven, and the second makes you reach for more—until you end up with a heaping bowl and a very full heart. Be warned: once you try pirohy, you’ll find yourself begging any Slovak you know to make them again… or learning to make them yourself.
