Russian pyrostes

I have made these Russian pirozhki several times, especially when I needed something hearty and suitable for packing. They are easy to make, and the meat filling with vegetables and cheese is filling and tasty. I love that you can make everything from simple ingredients that I always have at home. It doesn't take much work, but it takes a little time for the dough to rise and for everything to bake.

Quick Info

Total time: about 2 hours
Effective preparation time: 30-40 minutes
Baking time: 30-35 minutes
Number of servings: 18-22 pieces (depending on the size of the cutter)
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: savory pirozhki, suitable for lunch, dinner, or snack

Ingredients

For the dough:
- 600 g flour
- half a cube of fresh yeast
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 200 ml lukewarm milk
- 1 egg
- salt

For the filling:
- 1 large carrot
- 1 larger potato
- 500 g minced chicken
- 100 g grated cheese
- 1 egg
- 1 onion
- a few sprigs of fresh parsley
- 5 crushed garlic cloves
- salt
- pepper
- a little thyme

For finishing:
- 1 egg for brushing
- sesame seeds for sprinkling on top (optional)

Preparation method

1. For the dough, place the flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and add the crumbled yeast.
2. Add the butter, sugar, and lukewarm milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes for the yeast to start activating.
3. Add the egg and a little salt, then knead a smooth and non-sticky dough. If needed, add a little more milk or flour, as necessary.
4. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until it doubles in size.

5. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling. Peel the carrot and potato, wash them, and grate them finely.
6. Place the grated vegetables in a bowl. Add the minced meat, egg, and grated cheese.
7. Peel and finely chop the onion and sauté it quickly, for 2-3 minutes, in a little oil. Add it to the mixture.
8. Add the crushed garlic, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and a little thyme.
9. Mix all the ingredients well, preferably with your hands, to combine thoroughly.
10. If you want to check the filling's taste, you can make a small patty from it to see if it needs more salt or spices.

11. After the dough has risen, divide it in half.
12. Take a piece of dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a fairly thin sheet (about 3-4 mm).
13. Cut out circles using a bowl or a larger glass.
14. Place a tablespoon of filling on each circle.
15. Seal the edges well and place the pirozhki on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, seam side down.
16. Brush them with beaten egg and, if desired, sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
17. Bake in a preheated oven at medium heat for 30-35 minutes, until they are beautifully golden.

18. Repeat with the other half of the dough and the remaining filling.

Why I make this recipe often

They are practical, filling, and taste good even the next day. I can easily pack them or serve them at the table alongside a salad, without much hassle. The filling can easily be changed based on what I have on hand. The dough rises beautifully and is easy to work with.

Tips and variations

Tips

- Use only lukewarm milk, not hot, so you don't kill the yeast.
- If you have time, let the filling chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes – it binds better and portions more easily.
- When sealing the pirozhki, press the edges well so that the filling doesn't leak during baking.
- Bake at medium temperature to avoid burning the outside while leaving the inside raw.

Substitutions

- Chicken can be replaced with turkey, pork, or beef.
- You can use another type of cheese if you don't have cheese.
- If you don't have sesame seeds, you can leave the surface plain or use poppy seeds.

Variations

- You can add other spices or herbs to taste.
- The filling can be changed to mushrooms, spinach, or other vegetables if you want a meatless version.

Serving ideas

- They are good warm but also cold.
- They pair well with yogurt sauce, sour cream, or tomatoes.
- They also go well with a simple summer salad.

Frequently asked questions

1. Can I use dry yeast instead of fresh?
Yes, you can use dry yeast. For this quantity, a 7 g packet is sufficient.

2. Can I make the dough with soy or almond milk?
The dough can also be made with plant-based milk, just make sure it is lukewarm, not cold.

3. Can I freeze the baked pirozhki?
Yes, they can be frozen after baking and reheated directly in the oven for a few minutes.

4. What should I do if the dough is too soft or too hard?
Add a little flour if it's too soft, or a few drops of milk if it's too hard.

5. Can I bake them on two trays at the same time?
Yes, if you have a convection oven. Rotate the trays halfway through the baking time.

Nutritional values

Approximately, one pirozhka has about 180-200 kcal, with about 10 g of protein, 20 g of carbohydrates, and 7-8 g of fat. The amounts depend on the filling and how large you make them. They are filling, with a good protein and fiber content from the vegetables.

Storage and reheating

They can be stored for 2-3 days in the fridge, in a closed container. They can be quickly reheated in the oven or microwave. They remain soft and tasty even the next day. If you want to keep them longer, they can be frozen after cooling completely, then reheated in the oven.

In a bowl, we put the flour, make a well in the middle, and add the yeast that we have crumbled by hand. We add the butter, sugar, and warm milk. We let it sit for 5 minutes to activate the yeast, then we knead a soft and elastic dough. We let it rise for an hour. In the meantime, we prepare the filling. We peel, wash, and grate the carrot and potato using a fine grater. We add the meat, egg, and grated cheese. We peel and dice the onion. We sauté it in a little oil for 3 minutes, then add it to the other ingredients. We add garlic, chopped parsley, salt, pepper, and a little thyme. We mix everything well (preferably by hand). Before filling the dough, I took a small piece of the filling and fried it in the shape of a meatball. This way, I could tell if I needed to add more salt or not. After the dough has risen, I divided it into 2. I took one piece and rolled it out fairly thin, then cut circles with a bowl. On each circle, I placed a spoonful of filling and sealed the edges. They are placed in a baking tray with the seam side down. We brush them with beaten egg and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. They bake in a preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until they are nicely golden brown (at medium heat). They are absolutely delicious!!! They can be served at any meal of the day, alongside your favorite sauce or salad. They are also perfect for packing. Enjoy your meal :)

 Ingredients: For the dough: 600 g flour, half a cube of yeast, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons sugar, 200 ml milk, 1 egg, salt. For the filling: 1 large carrot, 1 larger potato, 500 g minced chicken, 100 g grated cheese, 1 egg, 1 onion, a few sprigs of parsley, 5 crushed garlic cloves, a few sprigs of fresh parsley, salt, pepper, a little thyme.

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