Russian Pirozhki

Pirozhki can be stuffed with just about anything. Mashed potato or cabbage and onions are traditional fillings. This recipe uses ground beef.  J. Dickinson, talented cook and scholar, informs us, “mashed sweet potato with cheddar, garlic and ground chipotle is a favorite at our house.”

I suggest letting your imagination run wild. Makes two dozen baked pies.

Ingredients:

Dough

2 packages yeast

¼ cup warm water

4 cups flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3 tablespoons olive oil

1½ cups milk

Filling

1 medium onion, chopped fine

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 lbs. lean ground beef

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Beef Pirozhki

1 teaspoon each dried rosemary and mustard powder (or any other spices you’d like to use)

½ lb. cheddar cheese

1 more egg for basting

Directions:

Start by making the dough. In a small bowl dissolve the yeast in warm water and let stand for 10 minutes. Place the flour, sugar, salt into a large bowl. Mix with your hands. Add the egg, oil, milk and yeast water. Stir with a spoon until the mixture forms into a ball, adding additional flour if the dough is sticky. Dump onto a clean, floured surface and knead for 10 minutes. A food processor or bread machine can be used for 6-7 minutes if you have one, though kneading by hand is more authentic. Place the kneaded dough back in the bowl and cover with a clean dishtowel. Let stand for 45 minutes to an hour.

Make the filling. Sauté the onion in olive oil until it is translucent. Remove from skillet and set aside. Brown the meat. Pour off any excess fat. Add the onion, the garlic and the spices. Cook for a few minutes until the flavors are integrated.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F or 200 degrees C.

Assemble the dumplings. Punch down the dough and roll out with your hands into a long snake two inches thick or less. Cut off pieces one to two inches in length with a knife. Roll out each piece to about an eighth of an inch thick. Cut a cube of cheese and place it in the center of the wrapper. Cover with meat filling. Fold the dough up around the sides and pinch together, knitting the two sides together tightly so they don’t come apart while baking.

Place the pirozhki on a greased baking sheet. Crack the second egg into a bowl and add a little water. Baste the pies with the egg wash. Bake until golden brown, around 15 to 20 minutes depending on your oven. Alternately, you can deep-fry pirozhki.