Piroshkiasavouryfilledpastry Recipes

TRADITIONAL RUSSIAN PIROZHKI

Steps:

• Place 1/2 cup milk in a cup or small bowl. Stir in sugar and sprinkle yeast over the top. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Pour the remaining milk into a large bowl.
• Add the melted butter, egg, salt and 1 cup of flour to the large bowl with the milk. Stir in the yeast mixture. Mix in flour 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and doesn't stick to your hands. Cover the bowl loosely and set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour. Dough should almost triple in size.
• While you wait for the dough to rise, melt the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, until cabbage has wilted. Mix in the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until cabbage is tender. Set this aside for the filling.
• Place the risen dough onto a floured surface and gently form into a long snake about 2 inches wide. Cut into 1 inch pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Flatten the balls by hand until they are 4 to 5 inches across. Place a spoonful of the cabbage filling in the center and fold in half to enclose. Pinch the edges together to seal in the filling.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line one or two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Place the pirozhki onto the baking sheet, leaving room between them for them to grow.
• Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

GREEK PIZZA

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). If using a pizza stone, place in oven to preheat.
• Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet; cook and stir onion and garlic until tender, about 5 minutes. Add spinach and continue to cook and stir until all liquid has evaporated, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and season with basil, lemon juice, oregano, and pepper. Allow mixture to cool slightly.
• Unroll pizza dough on preheated pizza stone or a large baking sheet and brush with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Spread spinach mixture over dough, leaving a small border at the edge of the pizza crust. Top with 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
• Press tomato slices into seasoned bread crumbs until coated; arrange tomatoes over pizza. Spread remaining 1 cup mozzarella cheese and feta cheese over tomatoes.
• Bake in preheated oven until pizza crust is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 15 minutes.

PIROSHKY (PIROSHKI)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in water and let stand 10 minutes. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Make a well in flour and add milk, egg, oil and yeast. Combine to make a soft dough. Knead about 10 minutes. Let rise one half hour to one hour.
• Brown chopped onion and garlic. In separate pan, brown ground beef. Season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion. Cool meat mixture and remove solidified fat.
• Pinch a golf-ball sized piece of dough, flatten with fingers or roll out to 1/8" thickness. Place 2 Tbsp filling in center and bring opposite edges of circle together. Pinch securely. (The traditional shape is a plump center with tapering ends.).
• Let piroshkis rise seam side down, 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350. Brush with egg and bake until golden brown (approx 20 min, it depends on the size). The piroshky may also be deep fried.
• Ed. Note: I also like to add about 1 cup cheese sauce powder (sometimes found in bulk food stores) to the meat mix. I find it gives a slightly cheesy taste. If I do that, I omit the salt.

PIROSHKI (A SAVOURY, FILLED PASTRY)

Steps:

• For pastry: Cut butter into pieces.
• Combine flour, butter, and salt using a knife or pastry blender.
• Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons ice water.
• Form into ball as you would pie dough.
• May need to add remaining 2 tablespoons water.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Place pastry dough on floured board; roll out into rectangle.
• Fold over into thirds.
• Roll out again into rectangle.
• Continue rolling and folding five times.
• Rewrap in plastic; return to refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Grease baking sheet.
• Roll dough out to 1/8-inch thickness.
• Cut dough using 3 ½-inch round cutter.
• Place about 1 tablespoon of filling on each pastry circle.
• Fold dough over making half moons; press together edges together using ice water to seal.
• Place pies on baking sheet.
• Whisk together egg yolk and 2 tblsps water; brush pies with egg wash.
• Bake about 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.
• For Meat Filling: sauté onion in 2 tablespoons butter until soft.
• Add ground beef and sear until light gravy forms.
• Let cool.
• Mix in egg, dill, salt and pepper.
• For Potato Filling: Fry the onions in the butter until soft and golden-brown.
• Boil the potatoes in their jackets, then peel and mash them.
• Let cool slightly.
• Season with plenty of salt and pepper and mix in the onions and egg.
• For Mushroom Filling: In a pan or skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion, and shallots in the butter until the onion is translucent.
• Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• Continue to cook, stirring until nearly all the moisture is evaporated.
• Cool mixture slightly and mix in cream cheese or mashed potato.
• I like to sprinkle poppy seeds over the egg washed pastries filled with the mushroom filling.
• Note: these pastries are very good made with phyllo pastry, too.