Beef

Pirojki (Piroshki) with Potato or Meat

Pirojki (Piroshki) with Potato or Meat

Pirojki (Piroshki) with Potato or Meat

The family just can’t get enough of pirojki or piroshkihand pies stuffed with delicious  savory fillings, including mashed potato, sauteed ground beef, cabbage or green peas.  Pirojki are believed to have originated from Russia, but have well blended into the cuisine of Azerbaijan and are popular both among the grownups and children alike. Pirojki are either baked in the oven or deep fried (this variety is a popular street food).

Today, I am sharing the recipe for the baked pirojki with two fillings to choose from—mashed potatoes and ground beef. Both are absolutely delicious. I personally do not have a favorite. You will not have either (unless you are a hard core vegetarian or carnivore). Enjoy!

Pirojki (Piroshki) with Potato or Meat

Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 1 ½ hours dough rising time
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Makes 22-25 pies

Ingredients

For the Dough:
½ cup (4 fl oz / 125 ml) warm water
1  1/4 teaspoons dry yeast
3 cups (15 oz / 470 g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup (4 fl oz / 125 ml) milk
1 egg + 1 egg white (reserve the yolk for glazing)
½ cup oil (4 fl oz / 125 ml)

For the Filling:

Potato filling:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill, or cilantro, or parsley
Salt
Ground black pepper

Meat filling:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
13 oz (375 g) ground beef
Salt
Ground black pepper

For the Glaze:
1 egg yolk

Variation: Another delicious variation would be to stuff the pockets with crumbled white cheese, such as feta, mixed with chopped fresh parsley.

Tips: 1) For best results, all ingredients should be at room temperature. Remove the eggs from refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to adding them to the dough. 2) If you used up all of the filling and still have some dough left, you can make small dinner rolls—brush the remaining dough balls with egg yolk, sprinkle with some poppy seeds, or Nigella sativa seeds or sesame seeds and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until golden.

Directions

1. Prepare the dough. Dissolve the yeast in the warm water and let stand for about 5 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, sugar, and mix. Add the yeast mixture, milk, eggs, and oil and stir using your hands until a rough ball forms. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-6 minutes. Put the dough into a large bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or a plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in bulk. The dough should look puffy and be soft when poked with a finger.

Pirojki (Piroshki) with Potato or Meat

2. In the meantime, prepare the filling. To prepare the potato filling, in a medium non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until lightly brown. In a mixing bowl, mash the boiled potatoes (I like to leave it slightly coarse). Add the fried onion, fresh herbs, season with salt and pepper, and mix well.

To prepare the meat filling, in a medium non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Add the meat and stir-fry together for about 10 minutes, or until the meat is brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a smoother filling, grind the mixture in a food processor until you obtain a desired consistency. (That’s what I usually do and I love the result).

3. Gentry press down on the dough to release the gases that have built up during the rising. The dough should not be sticky. Divide the dough into small balls about 1 ½ inches (3.8 cm) in diameter. You should be able to make 22-25 balls.

Risen Dough

Pirojki (Piroshki) with Potato or Meat

4. Since the dough is very elastic, it is easy to handle with hands. Flatten then stretch each dough ball into a 4-inch (10 cm)  circle. Place a tablespoonful of filling on the circle, lift the edges towards the center and press to seal. Gently pat the pocket to flatten it slightly. Continue with the rest of the dough.

Pirojki (Piroshki) with Potato or Meat

Pirojki (Piroshki) with Potato

Pirojki (Piroshki) with Potato

5. Place the dough pockets on a baking sheet seam side down, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, and allow to rest for about 15 minutes.

6. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).7. Brush the pockets with the egg yolk and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden.

Pirojki (Piroshki) with Potato or Meat