Regardless of the style pierogi maker, they all work on the same principle. One lays a rolled out pierogi dough over the top of the pierogi maker or pierogi tool as you will.
After laying the dough over the top of the tool, a natural pocket forms. Some pierogi makers provide you a special press to increase the size of the pocket. But practically speaking, the press is not necessary. It just adds another step to the process, gives you another tool to handle on the table, and gives you something else to clean.
One fills the pockets with a pierogi filling and then covers the tool with the second layer of dough.
The pierogi are sealed and cut apart by running a rolling pin over the top of the tool.
It is then just a matter of removing the trimmings, turning the tool over and removing the perfectly formed pierogi from the tool.
There is a second class of pierogi maker. And that is a pierogi press. As far as the homemaker is concerned, the pierogi presses form one pierogi at a time.
If used properly, a pierogi press makes a very nice pierog.
But if not properly used, they make pierogi with a very large and tasteless sealing area.
Additionally, many of the pierogi presses are shoddy. If you buy one, you should be very careful as to pay a little extra to get a good one.
There are recommended pierogi presses and pierogi tools in Poland’s Best Home & Hobby Store.
The video below shows you the use of a pierogi maker to make pierogi.