Latvian Piragi Recipes

PIRAGI - LATVIAN BACON BUNS

Steps:

• In a heavy non stick pan sauté onions and bacon until the onions are translucent and most of the bacon fat has rendered.
• Add ground pepper to taste.
• Leave this mixture to cool completely while you are making the dough. I usually make the bacon/onion mix the day before and leave it in my fridge until I am ready to use it. The bacon mixture is easier to work with when cold.
• Place yeast and water in a small bowl, put aside for the yeast to activate. It will froth up.
• In a small saucepan add butter, milk and sugar. Warm over a low heat until butter has melted and sugar has dissolved into the milk.
• When milk mixture has cooled to lukewarm stir through beaten egg, yeast and water.
• Place two cups of the plain flour and salt in a large bowl, pour liquid over and stir to combine.
• Once combined add the remaining flour. Mix until all ingredients have come together, then leave to rest in the bowl for 10 minutes.
• Once rested turn dough out on to a lightly floured surface and knead until dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 - 10 minutes.
• Place dough back in to a lightly oiled bowl and cover. Leave dough to raise, around 1½ hours or until doubled in size.
• Preheat oven 180 deg C (360 deg F)
• Once dough is ready, start pulling off a walnut size pieces of dough. Work them in to a ball in your hand then tease them out to a circle. Place a tablespoon of the bacon mixture, and bring the edges of the dough together. Seal the bun in a torpedo shape.
• Place formed buns on a baking tray that has been lined with baking paper.
• Mix the beaten egg and water together to make an egg wash. Brush egg wash mixture on buns. Place buns in oven and bake until golden, 12-15 minutes.Repeat with the remainder of the mixture and dough.
• Once out of the oven they are ready to eat.
• Piragi can also be frozen once cooled.

PīRāGI

Steps:

• Mix onions and bacon and season with pepper and salt.

LATVIAN PIRAGI

Steps:

• Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast for dough in a large mixing bowl; stir until well combined. Cut in butter with a fork until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add warm water and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
• Add eggs and 1 cup flour; mix until combined and thick. Stir in remaining 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough comes together.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 20 minutes. Punch dough down, cover, and let rise until double in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• While the dough is rising, cook bacon for filling in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain and discard all but 1 tablespoon grease from the pan.
• Add onion to the bacon grease and sauté over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Combine onion and bacon in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and set aside until dough has risen.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray two large baking pans with cooking spray. Place beaten eggs in a bowl.
• Divide dough into 3 pieces, then divide each piece into about 12 balls. Roll each ball to pizza dough-thickness. Use a small spoon to scoop some onion-bacon mixture into the center. Brush egg wash on the dough around the filling, then fold the edges/corners up and over the filling. Place piragi in the prepared baking pans with the seams facing down, and brush the tops with egg wash.
• Place one pan in the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with more egg wash. Return to the oven and bake until golden brown, about 20 more minutes.
• Repeat to bake remaining piragi.

PIRAGI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
• Melt the margarine in a large pot. Add 1 cup of water, 2 1/2 tablespoons of sugar, salt and 1 cup of flour.
• In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup of warm water with 1/2 tablespoon sugar and 1 teaspoon flour. Set aside in a warm place for 5 minutes.
• Add the yeast to the pot, and add enough flour until the dough no longer sticks to the hands or pot. Knead a short time. Cover with a napkin, and set aside in a warm place to rise for 2 to 3 hours.
• Mince the bacon and onions, and add pepper.
• When the dough has risen, pinch off small pieces the size of Ping-Pong balls, and then stretch them out into a sausage shape about an inch long. Pat each piece flat, put a heaping tablespoon of the bacon-onion mixture in the center, and close the dough tight with the fingertips. Place on a greased cookie sheet.
• Lightly beat the egg, and brush the piragi.
• Bake at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes or until browned.
• Let cool on a rack.

PIRAGI LATVIAN BACON ROLLS

Steps:

• Fry bacon and ham in pan for about five minutes. Drain and cool in fridge.
• Sprinkle yeast over warm water and sugar. let stand 10 minutes.
• Scald milk in a saucepan.
• Add sugar, salt, and butter. Allow mixture to cool until it is lukewarm.
• Add 3 1/2 cups flour, sour cream, egg yolks and yeast.
• Beat with spoon until smooth and shiny.
• Cover bowl and let rest for 1 hour.
• Turn out on floured board and gradually add remaining flour kneading until dough is elastic.
• Let rise another 45 mins Preheat oven to 400.
• Roll out dough until about 1/4 inch thick.
• Cut circles into dough. A small drinking glass is ideal size.
• Spoon 1 tsp of filling on to each circle.
• Fold over. Press and tuck under seam.
• Place rolls on greased cookie sheet and brush with beaten egg.
• Let rise about 20 minutes.
• bake at 400 for 10 mins or until golden brown.