Ukrainian Borsch With Pyrizhky Pyrohy Piroshki Recipes

UKRAINIAN BORSCH WITH PYRIZHKY (PYROHY) (PIROSHKI)

Steps:

• Day before: In 8-quart kettle, place beef, marrowbone, 1 Tablespoon salt and 2 quarts water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat; simmer, covered, 1 hour. Add tomatoes, quartered onion, celery, parsley, black peppers and bay leaves; simmer, covered, 2 hours.
• Remove from heat. Lift out beef. Discard marrowbone. Strain soup in colander. (There should be 9 or 10 cups.) Return soup and beef to kettle. Add cabbage, carrot, chopped onion, 2 Tablespoons fresh dill, the vinegar, sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; bring to boiling.
• Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 30 minutes, or until beef and vegetables are tender. Refrigerate overnight. Next day, skim off fat. Remove beef; cut into 1-inch cubes; coarsely chop 1 1/4 cups of the meat for the pyrizhky; return rest to soup along with beets. Makes 3 1/2 quarts.
• FOR THE PYRIZHKY: Remove patty shells from package; let stand at room temperature 30 minutes to soften.
• Meanwhile, in hot butter in small skillet, sauté onion 2 minutes. Add 3 Tablespoons sour cream, the 1 1/4 cup chopped beef, dill, salt, pepper; mix well; reserve and cool.
• Preheat oven to 425°F On lightly floured pastry cloth, roll EACH patty shell to make oblong 8 by 5 inches; cut in HALF crosswise. Spread a rounded tablespoon of filling on half of EACH piece. Fold other half over filling; crimp edges to seal; cut slits in top.
• Place on cookie sheet lined with heavy brown paper or parchment paper. Brush with egg yolk beaten with 1 Tablespoon water. Bake 15 minutes, or until puffed and golden. Makes 12.
• Meanwhile, heat soup gently to boiling. Serve with sour cream, dill and the warm pyrizhky.

UKRAINIAN STANDARD BORSCH

Steps:

• Cover the meat with the cold water.
• Add the salt, and bring slowly to the boiling point, then skim.
• Cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours.
• Add the onion and beets; cook 10 to 15 minutes or until the beets are almost done. If young beets are used, cook them together with the other vegetables.
• Add the carrot, potato, celery, and string beans; continue cooking for about 10 minutes.
• When cooked white beans are used, they should be added after the cabbage is cooked to retain their white color.
• Finally put in the cabbage and cook until it is tender. Do not overcook.
• Stir in the tomatoes or tomato juice and the crushed garlic, if it is used.
• Blend the flour with 3 tablespoons of cold water, spoon into it some soup liquid, and then stir into the borsch. If a thickened borsch is not desired, omit the flour.
• Add a small quantity of the beet kvas or lemon juice or any other mild acid commonly used in borsch, taking care not to use too much. A good borsch should be pleasantly tart but not sour.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper, and bring to the boiling point.
• Flavor it with the chopped dill.
• When ready to serve, add some thick sour cream or rich sweet cream. The amount of cream will depend on personal taste. It may also be served without cream. Some prefer to put the cream into each serving. This is the custom in central Ukraine.
• When the borsch is to be reheated the next day, do not add any cream.
• It tastes better when the cream is added just before serving.
• Traditional Ukrainian Cookery.

UKRAINIAN PYRIZHKY WITH MEAT FILLING (STUFFED BUNS)

Steps:

• PYRIZHKY DOUGH: Dissolve the sugar and ginger in the lukewarm water, sprinkle the yeast over it, and let it stand for 10 minutes.
• To the hot scalded milk, add the butter, and cool to lukewarm.
• Add the eggs, salt, sugar, and yeast.
• Mix in enough flour to make a medium soft dough as for bread.
• Knead on a floured board until smooth and satiny.
• Return to the bowl, cover, and let it rise until double in bulk.
• Punch down, knead a few times in the bowl, and let it rise again.
• Use any favorite filling in the recipes that follow.
• TO MAKE THE PYRIZHKY, cut off small egg-sized pieces of dough, flatten each or roll 1/4 inch thick.
• Place a generous portion of the filling in the center, bring the edges together, and press to seal securely.
• (I wet the edges with a bit of beaten egg white and seal with well floured fingertips).
• All edges must be free of filling.
• Shape into an oblong with a plump center and tapering ends (like a football).
• This is the traditional shape of pyrizhky.
• As an alternative method, the dough may be rolled 1/4 inch thick, cut into squares, filled, and sealed as directed.
• Place, sealed side down, on a greased baking sheet, spacing them 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart.
• Cover and let them rise in a warm place until light, for about 1 hour.
• Brush them with a beaten egg diluted with 2 tablespoons of water or milk.
• Bake in a moderate oven (375 degree F) for 30 to 35 minutes depending on their size.
• MEAT FILLING: Cook the onion in half of the butter until it is tender.
• Add the remaining butter and the meat.
• Brown the meat lightly.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Cover and cook over a low heat until done.
• Remove the meat.
• Stir the flour into the drippings.
• Add the soup stock or water, then cook, until the sauce comes to a boil.
• Combine with the meat and cool.
• Mix in the parsley and chopped eggs.
• *I like to use left-over cooked roast put through a meat grinder or food processor,is more flavourful.