Chebureki Crimean Lamb Pie Recipes

CHEBUREKI (CRIMEAN LAMB PIE)

Steps:

• For the dough:.
• Blend the flour and 1/2 tsp salt in a food processor. With the motor running, add the egg yolks and the oil through the feed tube, then pour in the water in a slow, steady stream until the dough forms a ball around the blade. Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes. Cover with a cotton cloth and let stand for 30 minutes.
• Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces and shape them into balls. Let stand, covered with a cotton towel for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the filling. Combine the lamb, sirloin, garlic,onions, and cilantro in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
• On a floured surface with a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough into rounds, about 3 inches in diameter. Brush each one with melted butter, stack them on top of each other and let stand, covered with a towel, for about 15 to 20 minutes more. Roll out each round some more and then pull the sides of each until they are about 6 inches in diameter, taking care not to tear the dough.
• Mix the ice water into the filling and divide the filling into 12 equal portions. Place a filling portion on one side of each round of dough. Fold the other half over the filling and press the edges together. Trim the edges even with a sharp knife and seal with the tines of a fork. (NOTE: I use a dough press used exclusively for this purpose. Makes Chebureki, pierogi, empanada, etc making so much easier!)
• Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees F.
• Fry the Chebureki until deep golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. Serve at once.
• Makes 12 Chebureki (Serves 6).

LEGENDARY LAMB PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
• Season lamb meat with a pinch of salt & pepper, before adding 2 Tbsp of oil to a dutch oven on medium-high heat. Brown Meat until golden brown all over, you may do this in batches.
• Remove meat from pan add remaining olive oil along with the onion, garlic, celery and carrots. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until browned.
• Add meat back to the pan along with red wine, cook for 1-2 minutes until wine reduces to bubbles, pour in stock and add the bay leaves, thyme rosemary and a pinch of salt & pepper.
• Bring to a boil cover with a lid and place in the oven to cook for 4-6 hours or meat falls apart. Remove from the oven and cook on stove top with lid off until sauce reduces by a third.
• Meanwhile, bring another pot of water to a boil add a pinch of salt and cook potatoes for 8-10 minutes or until easily pierced with a knife. Drain and mix in a bowl with 1 tbsp of butter and season with salt and pepper.
• Turn your broiler or grill on, spoon ricotta on top of lamb mix, followed by potato mix, and cook for 5-7 minutes or until slight little bits of golden color appear on the surface. Take straight to the table :).

CHEBUREKI

Steps:

• Make the meat filling: Place the chopped onion in a food processor and process until it is very fine and has started to release moisture. Transfer the onion to a large bowl. Add the beef, pork, black pepper and salt, and mix very well. Gradually add kefir to the mixture and mix it into the meat using a spoon. The consistency should be pourable and almost soupy, not stiff. If necessary, add more kefir, 1 tablespoon at a time, to achieve the desired consistency. Cover mixture and place it in the refrigerator to chill for 1 hour.
• Make the dough: Place 3 cups of the flour in a large bowl. Add the fine salt and mix with a fork. Add the water and mix until combined. Sprinkle a work surface with some of the remaining flour and knead in the rest of the flour little by little (you may not need all of it), until the dough is pliable and not sticky, about 15 minutes. (The dough should spring back when you make a slight indent with your finger.) Shape the dough into a ball, place in a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rest for at least 1 hour.
• Set up your frying station: Pour 2 inches of oil into a wok or a Dutch oven. Line a sheet pan with a wire rack and some paper towels to absorb any excess oil from the finished chebureki. Heat the oil over medium-high until the temperature reaches between 350 and 375 degrees.
• Divide the rested dough into 12 pieces and roll them into balls. (The dough should be pliable and shouldn't need much flour.) Flatten the pieces into disks and cover with plastic wrap so they don't dry out. Working with one piece at a time, lightly dust the counter with flour and roll out the dough into a very thin round about 8 inches in diameter. (You should be able to read text through the dough.)
• Place 3 level tablespoons of filling on one side of the round and spread it into a thin half-moon, leaving a 1-inch border around the filling. Make sure not to add too much filling! Overfilling increases the risk of leakage during frying.
• Fill a small bowl with water, and using your finger, dampen the edges of the whole round to help seal the cheburek. Fold the dough over the side with the filling, trying to make sure there are no air bubbles between the filling and the dough to help decrease the chance of bursting. Press the edges to seal tightly, then seal them completely with a fork. Use a pasta wheel or paring knife to trim off any uneven edges, if you like.
• Once the oil is at 350 degrees, carefully lower the shaped cheburek into the oil and fry until the dough is golden brown and bubbly, about 2 minutes per side. Using tongs or a large slotted spatula, transfer the fried cheburek to the rack. Repeat shaping, filling and frying with the remaining dough and filling.
• Let the cheburek cool slightly, then dig in! These are best eaten hot. Enjoy with a glass of ryazhanka or kefir.