Russian Fried Pasties Recipes

MEAT PIROSHKI (BELYASHI)

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium/high heat. Brown ground beef and turkey, breaking it up into small pieces with a spatula. Season meat with 1/2 tsp salt, 1/ tsp pepper and 1/2 tsp garlic powder.
• When the meat is almost done, add diced onion and saute 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add shredded carrots and saute another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add 3 tbsp dill, mix well.
• Add mayo, stir well.
• Stir in 1/2 cup water to moisten the meat mix. Transfer meat mix to a bowl and let cool to warm or room temperature.
• The easiest way to do this is in a bread maker. If you have one, set it to the dough setting and add the ingredients in the following order: Oil, water, 2 cups flour, salt, 2 cups + 2 Tbsp flour, yeast. A bread maker will do the following: mix, let dough rise, mix again and let the dough rise (It takes about 1 to 1 1/2 hours) and once it's done in the bread maker, its ready to go.
• You can also make this dough using a stand mixer with a dough hook on speed 2(mix all the ingredients together, let rise, mix again and then let it rise in a warm place (like the oven). (It should be 2 to 2 1/2 times in volume). While it's rising, work on the meat filling for piroshki - see below.
• Put the finished dough onto a well floured cutting board, dust the dough with flour and with well-floured hands, shape it into a large log.It will rise more as you make the piroshki.
• Cut off pieces one at a time about 3/4″ thick.
• Place the piece of dough over your well-floured hand (dough will be sticky) and shape it into a 3″ to 4″ circle using your hands. Do not put flour on the side where you are going to put the meat, otherwise the sides won't seal.
• Stir the meat mix to distribute the juices. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of meat filling in the center.Cover the meat with the sides of the dough (being careful not to let oils or juices seep out), and pinch the edges together to seal the dough. Flatten the pirojki slightly to make them a more uniform size.
• Heat oil in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan or cast iron dutch oven. There should be enough oil to cover the pirojki half-way up the side.
• Place them in the hot oil (about 330° F) and fry until deep golden brown on each side. Sometimes they puff up a lot on one side so you may end up with a third side that needs to be fried.
• Place on paper towels to cool and enjoy!

RUSSIAN FRIED PASTIES

Steps:

• 1. In mixer bowl combine 1 1/2 cups of the flour and the yeast.
• 2. In saucepan, heat milk, 1 teaspoon salt, and sugar just until warm (115-120 degrees), stirring constantly.
• 3. Add warm milk mixture to flour mixture that's in mixing bowl. Beat at low speed for 1/2 min, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Then beat 3 minutes at high speed.
• 4. Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon.
• 5. Turn out onto lightly floured surface, knead in enough remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic. (6 to 8 minutes total). Place in lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease surface. Cover; let dough rise in warm place until double. (about one hour)
• 6. Meanwhile, in skillet cook ground beef or pork, onion and garlic until meat is browned and onion is tender. Drain off fat. Stir in tomato sauce, cheese, parsley, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cinnamon, pepper and ginger, heat through.
• 7. Punch down dough; turn out onto lightly floured surface. Shape into 12 balls. Cover; let rest 5-10 minutes
• 8. To make pasties, place each ball of dough on a lightly floured surface. Roll to a 5 inch round, rolling thinner at the edges. Place about 2 tablespoons of the meat mixture. Moisten edges of dough with a little water. Bring edges of dough up around meat mixture, easing the fullness of the pastry into tiny pleats in the center if the pastry. Slightly stretch the edges until they just meet. pinch the edges together to seal
• 9. In heavy 12 inch skillet (cast iron works best), heat cooking oil over medium heat about 1 minute or until hot. Place 6 of the pasties, seam side down, in the hot oil. reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes or till crisp and lightly browned. Turn and cook 8-10 minutes more.
• 10. Remove pasties from skillet and drain on paper towels. Add the remaining 6 pasties into the pan, adding additional oil to the pan if needed.

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.

PASTIES II

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Shape into a ball. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, combine meat, potatoes, onion, rutabaga and chopped carrots. Season with salt and pepper. Divide dough into six pieces, and shape into balls. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a 6 inch round. Place approximately 1 cup filling on one half of each. Dot each with 1 tablespoon margarine. Draw the other half of the pastry over the filling. Crimp edges to seal in filling. Prick with a fork and place on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.