Piroshki Filling Recipes

TRADITIONAL RUSSIAN PIROZHKI

Steps:

• Place 1/2 cup milk in a cup or small bowl. Stir in sugar and sprinkle yeast over the top. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Pour the remaining milk into a large bowl.
• Add the melted butter, egg, salt and 1 cup of flour to the large bowl with the milk. Stir in the yeast mixture. Mix in flour 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and doesn't stick to your hands. Cover the bowl loosely and set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour. Dough should almost triple in size.
• While you wait for the dough to rise, melt the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, until cabbage has wilted. Mix in the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until cabbage is tender. Set this aside for the filling.
• Place the risen dough onto a floured surface and gently form into a long snake about 2 inches wide. Cut into 1 inch pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Flatten the balls by hand until they are 4 to 5 inches across. Place a spoonful of the cabbage filling in the center and fold in half to enclose. Pinch the edges together to seal in the filling.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line one or two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Place the pirozhki onto the baking sheet, leaving room between them for them to grow.
• Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

CABBAGE PIROZHKI

Steps:

• Mix up the pastry dough and while it is rising, make the filling.
• Heat butter over medium heat in a large, heavy skillet and add onion. Cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add cabbage and salt to taste and cook, stirring often, until cabbage is tender but not browned, about 15 minutes. Stir in dill, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and pepper. Taste and adjust salt. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. If using ricotta you can either stir it into the cabbage or place a teaspoon on each round of dough before topping with the cabbage mixture.
• When the dough is ready, pinch off 24 equal pieces, approximately 20 grams each, and roll each one into a small ball by cupping your hand over it and gently rolling it against your work surface. Cover with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. One by one, roll each ball of dough to a thin round, about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. If you are using ricotta and have not mixed it into the cabbage, place a teaspoon on each round and top with a tablespoon (heaped) of the cabbage. Otherwise just top each round with a heaped tablespoon of the cabbage mixture. Fold over the round and pinch the edges of the dough together, then tuck in the ends and gently shape each pirozhok into an oval (rather than a half-moon). Place on the parchment-covered baking sheet, seam side down. You should get 12 on each sheet. After you have finished shaping the first 12, cover lightly with plastic and place in a warm place to rise for 40 to 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and continue shaping the pirozhki. Cover the second batch with plastic and let rise for 40 to 45 minutes.
• Brush pirozhki with egg wash. Bake 1 tray at a time in the middle of the oven for 25 minutes, until light brown and shiny. Remove from heat and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before eating.

BAKED PIROSHKI (RUSSIAN STUFFED ROLLS)

Steps:

• In a bread machine: place ingredients in the machine following the directions for the dough setting. Dough should be soft, sticking slightly to the pan as it kneads. Add a little water or flour to adjust dough consistency during the first knead as necessary.
• In a stand mixer: In the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add warm milk and sugar. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Sprinkle the yeast over top of the milk. Let stand for 5-7 minutes until the yeast begins to foam. Add 2 c of flour, the egg, softened butter, and salt. Mix everything together. Continue adding the last cup of flour, until the dough starts to come together. Knead the dough with the mixer on low speed for 3-5 minutes. The finished dough should be soft and almost sticky, but it should pull away from the sides of the bowl. (If it is too sticky, add a little more flour and continue to knead.) Remove the bowl from the mixer and cover it with a damp tea towel. Let it rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour, until well doubled.
• While the dough is rising, make the fillings.
• Heat butter in a large, non-stick sauté pan. Add onions and mushrooms and sauté for 3-5 minutes, until soft. Add cabbage, salt, dill, and pepper. Continue to saute until the cabbage has softened, 5-7 minutes. Remove the mixture from the heat and transfer it to a medium bowl. Let the filling cool to room temperature before filling the rolls.
• In a large, non-stick sauté pan, brown the beef and onions together with the dill, salt and pepper, 3-5 minutes. Once the beef is cooked through, remove the mixture from the heat and transfer it to a medium bowl. Mix in the chopped hard boiled eggs, if using. Let the filling cool to room temperature before filling the rolls.
• Once risen, remove the dough from the bread machine or bowl and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a log and cut the log into 16 roughly even pieces. Roll each piece into a ball and then press it into a 3-4" circle.
• Fill the center of each circle of dough with a heaping tablespoon of filling. Gently pull the edges of the circle up and around the filling, pinching the edges to seal the filling inside. (Be sure to pinch the seam well, or else the filling will burst out during baking.
• Place filled piroshki, seam-side down on a greased baking sheet.** Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the rolls 2 inches apart. Brush the tops with the beaten egg. Set them aside to rise until puffy and nearly doubled (30 minutes).
• When the rolls are nearly finished proofing, preheat the oven to 375F.
• Bake at 375F for 20-23 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

CABBAGE PIROSHKI RECIPE

Steps:

• Prepare one portion of the classic piroshki dough.

PIEROGI FILLING

Steps:

• For the Cabbage Filling: cut the cabbage into quarters. Steam until very tender, about 15 minutes; drain and cool. Wrap cooled cabbage in a towel, and squeeze out as much liquid as possible. Simmer finely chopped onions in butter and chicken broth until the onion is translucent - add the cooled cabbage salt and pepper. Let simmer until heated. Stir in the cream cheese and dill (or substitute caraway seeds if you prefer).
• Instant Potato and Cheese Filling: Sautee the onion and butter in a small pot until the onion is translucent. Add enough water based on the instant mashed potato package directions (I would guess but every brand is different) and add the chives. Once the water has boiled, remove the pot from the heat and add the potato flakes, cheese and cream cheese.
• Ground beef filling: In a large frying pan, simmer the finely chopped onions in the butter and cook until the onions are translucent. Prepare the ground beef by combining and kneading it with the hunter's seasoning (see below). Add it to the onion mixture, chopping it with your spatula so it doesn't cook together. Cook until all of the pink is gone.
• Hunter's seasoning recipe: Make as much or as little as you want using this ratio. This will make more than the 3 tablespoons amount, but I don't know what the ratio would be for exactly that amount. I always make a jar full and keep it on hand since it's a good general meat seasoning for beef or poultry. 2 teaspoons Marjoram, 1 teaspoons peppercorn, 1 teaspoons caraway, ½ teaspoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoons Allspice to taste, Cloves to taste, 1 crushed bay leaf, 1 teaspoons Juniper berries (A difficult thing to find, you can substitute this by adding a few shots of gin to the ground beef while kneading; gives it a great flavor and all the alcohol will cook out).

PIEROGIES WITH POTATO AND CHEESE FILLING

Steps:

• Mix flour, water, and egg and salt together. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth. Cover dough with bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.
• Boil potatoes until soft. Drain and rinse. Add cheese. Let stand a few minutes until cheese melts. Then fold potatoes and cheese together.
• Roll out dough about 1/8-inch thick. Cut into 3-inch squares. Fill each square of dough with one teaspoon of potato and cheese filling. Fold in half and pinch ends together to seal. Drop in hot boiling water and simmer for 8 minutes. Drain and fry in butter a few minutes until heated through. Chopped onions may be added to the butter, if desired. Salt and pepper, to taste.

POLISH MEAT PIEROGI WITH BEEF & POULTRY

Steps:

• If you cooked rosół soup earlier, use the leftover meat - it's perfect for a pierogi filling. A leftover steak or roast meat will work great too.
• Grind the meat in a meat grinder, or use a food processor/blender instead.
• Peel and chop the onion finely. Add some oil to the frying pan, wait for it to warm up. Add the chopped onion and fry until golden.
• Add fried onion to the meat mass. Season well with salt and pepper. Have a try - does it need more spice? If so, add some garlic powder or smoked paprika powder. Blend well with a spoon or a spatula.
• If the filling appears too dry, add a few spoons of water or broth - meat should be sticky.
• Follow the steps below or pick an alternative pierogi dough recipe here.
• Prepare a clean work surface. Sift the flour, make a small well. Pour in a few spoonfuls of hot water.
• Knead flour and water together. Gradually add more water, until the dough to becomes elastic and soft.
• Divide the dough into four parts. Spread one part on the work surface, roll into a thin layer of dough. Use a glass to cut out circles.
• Place a spoonful of meat filling in the middle. Fold dough over filling. Press edges together.
• Continue forming until all pierogi are assembled.
• Bring a pot water to a boil, salt it. Reduce the heat.
• Drop a couple of pierogi in. Cook until they float to the top (5-6 minutes).
• In the meantime, chop kiełbasa sausage and 1/2 onion into cubes. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter on a frying pan, drop in kiełbasa and onions, let them fry until golden.
• Collect the dumplings with a slotted spoon.
• Serve pierogi, topping them with melted butter and fried onion/kiełbasa pieces. Sprinkle with chopped chives.

PIROSHKI (A SAVOURY, FILLED PASTRY)

Steps:

• For pastry: Cut butter into pieces.
• Combine flour, butter, and salt using a knife or pastry blender.
• Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons ice water.
• Form into ball as you would pie dough.
• May need to add remaining 2 tablespoons water.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Place pastry dough on floured board; roll out into rectangle.
• Fold over into thirds.
• Roll out again into rectangle.
• Continue rolling and folding five times.
• Rewrap in plastic; return to refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Grease baking sheet.
• Roll dough out to 1/8-inch thickness.
• Cut dough using 3 ½-inch round cutter.
• Place about 1 tablespoon of filling on each pastry circle.
• Fold dough over making half moons; press together edges together using ice water to seal.
• Place pies on baking sheet.
• Whisk together egg yolk and 2 tblsps water; brush pies with egg wash.
• Bake about 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.
• For Meat Filling: sauté onion in 2 tablespoons butter until soft.
• Add ground beef and sear until light gravy forms.
• Let cool.
• Mix in egg, dill, salt and pepper.
• For Potato Filling: Fry the onions in the butter until soft and golden-brown.
• Boil the potatoes in their jackets, then peel and mash them.
• Let cool slightly.
• Season with plenty of salt and pepper and mix in the onions and egg.
• For Mushroom Filling: In a pan or skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion, and shallots in the butter until the onion is translucent.
• Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• Continue to cook, stirring until nearly all the moisture is evaporated.
• Cool mixture slightly and mix in cream cheese or mashed potato.
• I like to sprinkle poppy seeds over the egg washed pastries filled with the mushroom filling.
• Note: these pastries are very good made with phyllo pastry, too.

FRIED MEAT PIROSHKI RECIPE

Steps:

• Prepare 1 batch of our piroshki dough recipe.
• In a large bowl, add the ground pork, grated onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, Lawry's seasoning, mayo, green onion, and dill. Mix until well combined.
• Generously flour working area and the dough onto surface. Divide the dough into 24 equar parts (see note).
• Roll out each of the parts into about a 3½" round circle. Divide the meat filling among the 24 pieces and place into the center of dough. Fold the dough in half and seal the edges by pinching dough together. Repeat with all of the piroshki. Press down on the pies so it's flat and even in size.
• In a large pot, cover the bottom with oil about 2 inches deep and heat oil to 330°F.
• Add the piroshki into the pot, careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry 3 minutes per side, until golden and remove onto a plate lined with paper towel. Repeat with all the piroshki.
• Serve with sour cream.
• Enjoy!