Uncle Bills Variety Of Fruit Fillings For Pyroshky 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.

UNCLE BILL'S FRESH BEET FILLING FOR PYRAHI

Steps:

• Wash and scrub beets, cut off the tails and the end.
• In a saucepan, add beets, just cover with water and bring to boil.
• Reduce heat and cook until beets are just tender, about 30 minutes.
• Drain and immediately pour cold water over beets.
• When cool enough to handle, remove skins and discard.
• Grate beets.
• In a mixing bowl, add grated beets, sugar and salt, mix well.
• In a frying pan, melt butter, add beet mixture and saute' for 5 minutes stirring occasionally.
• Let cool slightly before using.
• Use about 3 tablespoons of filling for each pyrahi.
• You can also use canned regular beets.
• Grate the beets and prepare them as above.

UNCLE BILL'S PYRAHI DOUGH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, measure water, add yeast,1/2 teaspoon sugar and let stand for about 10 minutes or until frothy.
• In a large mixing bowl, add warmed milk and yeast and stir gently to incorporate.
• Add beaten eggs, 2 tablespoons of sugar, salt, olive oil and mix gently.
• Add flour, 1 cup at a time mixing well after each addition.
• If dough is too sticky, add a bit more flour.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times until dough is smooth.
• Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, turn once to coat.
• Cover with plastic wrap and place dough in refrigerator for 4 hours or longer.
• When ready to use, remove from refrigerator and punch dough down.
• Divide dough into 24 equal pieces and roll into balls that will be the size of a golf ball.
• Roll dough out into rounds on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8" thickness.
• Place about 3 tablespoons of filling mixture of your choice in the center of each round.
• Fold the left and right side of the round towards the center, pinching the dough to crease.
• Bring the other 2 edges towards the center and pinch again to crease.
• Leave a space of about 1/4" slit in the center of the pyrahi.
• Slightly flatten the pyrahi with the palm of your hand.
• Place pyrahi on a lightly greased cookie sheet, cover with a damp cloth and let rise for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Bake in preheated 400 F oven for 25 minutes or until lightly browned.
• Remove from oven and brush with melted butter.
• Serve with melted butter and sour cream or yogurt.
• To re-warm the pyrahi, heat a frying pan on medium heat, add 1 tablespoon of butter, add the pyrahi, cover and fry for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, turn over and fry for another 1 to 1 1/2 minutes.

UNCLE BILL'S POTATO FILLING FOR PYRAHI

Steps:

• In a saucepan, add potatoes, cover with water and cook until tender.
• Drain well and mash potatoes, set aside.
• In a frying pan, melt butter.
• Add onions and garlic and saute' for 5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
• In a mixing bowl, add potatoes, sautee'd onion/garlic, beaten eggs, salt and pepper and mix well.
• Use about 3 tablespoons of mixture for each Pyrahi.

UNCLE BILL'S POTATO/CHEDDAR FILLING FOR PEROGIES

Steps:

• In a medium size saucepan, add potatoes and just cover with water.
• Bring to boil, reduce heat and cook for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• Drain and mash potatoes.
• Add grated cheese and mix well.
• Cheese will melt and will be incorporated with the potatoes.
• In a frying pan, add butter, chopped onions and garlic and saute' for 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add saute'ed onion/garlic to the potatoes in the saucepan and mix well.
• Add beaten eggs, salt and pepper and mix well.
• The amount of filling to use will depend on the size of Mini Form you will be using.
• If using the 4" Mini Form, use 1 heaping tablespoon of filling.
• The filling mix handles best when cooled.

UNCLE BILL'S VARIETY OF FRUIT FILLINGS FOR PYROSHKY

Steps:

• If using strawberries, remove hulls, wash and slice.
• If using raspberries, huckleberries, use whole.
• If using rhubarb, cut into small pieces.
• If using cherries, pit first.
• If using peaches or apricots, remove stones and cut fruit into pieces.
• In a mixing bowl, mix together sugar and tapioca starch, mix well to blend.
• Add sugar/tapioca starch mixture to fruit and mix well to coat.
• Let sit for 5 minutes before using.
• Fill pastry cups with 1 1/2 tablespoons of your choice of fruit mixture.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of granulated sugar to each tart.
• Bake in preheated 400 F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until crust is just lightly browned.