Ingredients

• 10 pounds green cabbage, trimmed and cored
• 2 eight-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
• 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 egg
• 2 heaping tablespoons sour cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup water
• 4 1/2 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornmeal

Instructions

1. To make the cabbage filling: Cut the cabbage into quarters. Steam until very tender, about 20 to 30 minutes; drain and cool. Working in small batches, wrap cooled cabbage in a towel, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Chop the squeezed cabbage finely in a food processor or grind it in a meat grinder. Transfer it to a large mixing bowl, add the softened cream cheese, 4 tablespoons of the melted butter, and salt and pepper, to taste; mix until combined. (The filling can be made 1 day ahead if it's kept tightly covered and refrigerated.) In a medium bowl, whisk the egg. Add the sour cream, and whisk until smooth. Add the milk and water, and whisk until combined. Slowly add about 3 cups of flour, and stir to combine with a wooden spoon. Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and work in about 1 cup flour as you knead. Use a plastic scraper to lift the dough, which will stick to the counter before the flour is worked into it. Continue kneading for about 8 to 10 minutes, working in another 1/2 cup flour. The dough should be elastic in texture and no longer sticky. Be careful not to add too much flour, as this will toughen the dough. Place dough in a lightly floured bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest. Sprinkle cornmeal on a sheet pan. On a floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a glass or a cookie cutter measuring 2 1/2 inches in diameter, cut out as many circles as possible. Gather scraps together, re-roll, and continue cutting. Place circles on sheet pan sprinkled with cornmeal. Form filling into 1 1/2-inch balls, and place a ball in the center of each dough circle. Holding a circle in your hand, fold dough over filling and pinch the edges, forming a well-sealed crescent. Transfer to linen towel. Continue this process until all dough circles are filled. Place pierogi in the boiling water in batches. They will sink to the bottom of the pot, and then rise to the top. Once they rise, let them cook for about 1 more minute. Meanwhile, drizzle platter with remaining 4 tablespoons melted butter. Remove pierogi from pot and transfer to platter to prevent sticking. Serve immediately.;