Tatar Meat Pie Zur Balish

Meat and potatoes, surrounded by a pastry shell, simmer in their own juices to create an all-in-one wonderpie. So filling. So satisfying. So comforting.

Zur Balish takes three hours to make. When I was living in Kazakhstan researching Silk Road dumplings, kind and generous Aijan, whose mother is Tatar, made this splendid dish, described in a chapter of my forthcoming book called “Aijan’s Too Many Dishes.”

Huge thanks to the meticulous Jennifer Barrett for testing this recipe many times to get it just right! She is a true friend.

Ingredients:

Filling:

2 lbs (900 g) beef or lamb, cut into half-inch cubes

5 or 6 medium potatoes (2 lb or 900 g unpeeled), cut into half-inch cubes

2–3 medium onions, coarsely chopped

2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp dried garlic

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

½ tsp whole mustard seed

½ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp whole cumin

1/8 tsp thyme

1/8 tsp oregano

1 pinch nutmeg

2 bay leaves

1 cup beef bouillon

1 tbs olive oil or vegetable oil

1 tbs butter

Dough:

¼ tsp baking soda

¼ tsp salt

1 egg, slightly beaten

7 tbs (100 ml) kefir (more if needed)

3.5 tbs butter (50 g) (softened to room temperature)

2 cups (250 g) flour (more if needed)

1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil (optional, for greasing the dish)

1 egg, beaten with two tablespoons water (for egg wash)

Equipment:

Round casserole dish or large cast iron skillet

One sheet parchment or baking paper (or aluminum foil)

Directions:

1. Make the dough: Mix the baking soda, salt, egg, and kefir in a mixing bowl. Combine well. Stir in the butter. Add the flour approximately half a cup at a time, stirring and pressing with a rubber spatula after each addition. When the dough begins to hold together, knead it into a ball and cover with a clean dishtowel. The dough should be soft and elastic but not sticky. Let it rest for about 10 minutes.

2.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. (220 C) 

3.  Make the filling: Mix the meat, potato, onion, spices and herbs in a second bowl. Set aside.

4. Divide the dough into two pieces (1/3 and 2/3). Keeping the smaller piece of dough covered, roll out the larger piece of dough on a lightly floured surface evenly to a thickness of about 1/8 inch. Especially if you used low-fat kefir, lightly grease your casserole dish or other cooking vessel with vegetable or olive oil. Gently lay the dough in the casserole dish (it helps to roll the sheet loosely around a floured rolling pin to move it to the casserole). If possible, cut the dough so that you have an overhang of approximately 2 inches around the sides of the dish.

5. Fill the dough-lined casserole with the pie filling.

6. Roll out the smaller piece of the dough, reserving enough dough to form a ball about 1 inch in diameter. Fold in the edges of the bottom crust over the filling and spread the rolled smaller piece of dough on top—This will be the balish’s lid. Pinch the edges of the two crusts together all the way around.

7. Using a sharp knife, cut a round hole in the center of the lid approximately 1 inch in diameter. Place the small ball of dough over this hole to act as a stopper—This will be the lid within the lid. Baste the top of the balish with an egg beaten with two tablespoons of water.

8. Bake the pie in the oven for 20 minutes at 425 F (220 C). Lower oven temperature to 400 degrees F (205 C). Cover with the parchment paper (or loosely with foil), and bake another 40 minutes.

9. Remove the balish from the oven. Lower oven temperature to 350 F (175 C). Take the lid within the lid (the “stopper”) off the top of the balish and pour 2/3 cup–1 cup of bouillon into the center of the pie. Bake for another hour.

10. Pull the balish out of the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 225 F (110 C). Remove the “stopper” again. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil inside and mix the filling well with a small spoon. Replace the “stopper.” Smear the top of the balish with a tablespoon of butter. Cover. Instead of replacing the parchment paper, you can put a lid on the casserole. Bake for 20 minutes.

10. Let the pie rest for 10 minutes before serving. To serve, cut out the top crust and break it in pieces. Spoon a couple of spoonfuls of filling onto plates. Then slice the pie.