Uncle Bills Pastry Dough For Peroshky Recipes

UNCLE BILL'S REGULAR DOUGH RECIPE FOR PEROSHKY

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, sift together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt and sugar.
• Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until crumbly.
• In another mixing bowl, combine whipping cream, sour cream and baking soda.
• Add beaten eggs and vanilla extract and blend well.
• Add whipping cream mixture in small amounts to flour mixture, alternating with the addition of the remaining 1 1/2 cups of flour, mixing well after each addition until dough is medium soft.
• Roll out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead several times until it is not sticky to the hands.
• Add more flour if required so the dough does not stick to your hands.
• Break off pieces of dough and roll between your hands to the size of a golf ball.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough balls out to 1/8" thickness and they should be about 4" in diameter.
• Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of your choice of fruit mixture (to follow) onto the center of the dough round.
• Bring edges of dough up towards the center and crimp edges to form a cup, leaving the top open.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar (if desired) into the open top.
• Place PEROSHKY on a lightly greased baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated 400 F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until crust is light brown.
• Remove from oven and cool for about 15 minutes.
• Serve with ice cream, sour cream, melted butter or whipped cream.

UNCLE BILL'S PASTRY DOUGH FOR PEROSHKY

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, combine cake and pastry flour and salt.
• Add Crisco and using a pastry blender, cut in until mixture is uniform and crumbly.
• In a small bowl, beat egg.
• Add water and white vinegar and mix to blend.
• Add egg mixture to flour and mix until dough is evenly moist.
• Divide dough in half and form into balls.
• Wrap one dough ball in plastic wrap while you are using the other one.
• On a lightly floured surface roll dough out to about 1/8" thickness.
• Using a 3 1/2" round cookie cutter or any tool that would be about this size, cut out rounds.
• Prepare a medium size muffin baking tin by spraying with a non stick vegetable spray.
• Carefully lift dough rounds with a spatula and place rounds into the muffin tins.
• Gently press down and around the sides of the muffin tin to shape.
• Place about 2 tablespoons of fruit mixture into the prepared dough cup keeping fruit mixture down about 1/4" from the top, (DO NOT OVERFILL).
• Using the tynes of a fork, press the top edge of the pastry to form a crinkled pattern.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar (if desired) onto the fruit.
• Bake in a preheated 400 F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until the crust is just lightly brown.
• Let sit for about 5 minutes to cool slightly.
• Carefully run a small sharp knife around the edges and remove tarts onto a wire rack to cool.
• The crusts will be quite short, so be carefull when removing the tarts from the muffin tins.
• Serve with butter, ice cream, sour cream, yogurt, whipping cream or whipped cream.
• These tarts are good to eat hot or cold.

UNCLE BILL'S APPLE FILLING FOR PEROSHKY

Steps:

• Prepare apples and place into a mixing bowl.
• Sprinkle lemon juice over and mix to coat.
• This prevents the apples from turning brown.
• In a mixing bowl, mix together sugar, tapioca starch and ground cinnamon and mix well.
• Add mixture to apples and mix well to coat.
• Let mixture sit for 5 minutes before using.
• Add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of apple mixture to the dough rounds or the prepared pastry cups.
• Bake in preheated 400 F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until crust is just lightly browned.

UNCLE BILL'S PEROGIE DOUGH

Steps:

• In a large size mixing bowl, mix together eggs, milk, whipping cream, sour cream and salt and whisk until well blended.
• Add baking powder and blend until incorporated.
• Add flour one cup at a time and whisk well the first two cups.
• Add the third cup and now mix using a large plastic spoon or a wooden spoon.
• Add the fourth cup and continue mixing with a spoon.
• At this point, you may not be able to pick up all the flour, so roll out the contents onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and shiny.
• If the dough is still sticky add a bit more flour and continue to knead until it is not sticky and does not stick to your hands.
• Break dough off into chunks and roll between your hands to the size of a golf ball.
• On a lightly floured surface, firstly flatten the dough ball with the palm of your hand to about 1/2-inch thickness, then coat each side very lightly with some flour.
• Using a heavy rolling pin, (I prefer a marble rolling pin), start to roll out the dough.
• As you are rolling, the dough should stick to the rolling pin.
• When this happens and the dough is almost all the way around the rolling pin, peel the dough off as it should come off very easy.
• Place the dough back on the rolling surface with the side that was against the rolling pin should now be on the rolling surface.
• Very lightly, dust the top surface ONLY with a bit of flour.
• Start rolling again, roll back and forth, then side to side to try and keep the dough round.
• The dough should now be sticking to the rolling surface and not onto the rolling pin.
• You will note that the dough does not "snap" back to a smaller round.
• Should this happen, just re-roll again.
• When finished rolling, the dough should be about 1/16-inch in thickness.
• Open the Mini Form (photo above) and rub the surface with some flour, this will prevent the dough from sticking to the Mini Form.
• Place the rolled dough over the Mini Form and make sure that the dough is well over the edges of the Mini Form.
• Place about 1 heaping tablespoon of your choice of filling in the center of the dough.
• Pick the Mini Form up and close it slightly.
• If necessary, push the filling down just a bit.
• Now fold the Mini Form completely shut and press tightly.
• Hold the Mini Form closed and remove excess dough with your thumb or finger. This helps seal the edges of the dough.
• Use the excess dough to form more dough balls.
• Open the Mini Form and the perogi should drop out easily.
• Set perogi aside until you prepare more.
• Continue to make perogies with the remaining dough.
• You can use whatever size of Mini Form that you desire, the 3 1/4" or 4". Five and 6" Mini Forms are also available.
• COOKING INSTRUCTIONS.
• In a large cooking pot or pasta pot, fill 3/4 full with water and bring to a boil.
• Add 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil or a good vegetable oil.
• Gently add about 8 to 10 perogies to the pot, stir gently with a slotted spoon and bring back to boil.
• Cook, uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes or until perogies float to the surface.
• Remove with a slotted spoon into a bowl.
• The perogies may be eaten immediately with some butter or margarine, a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of chopped green onions or chives.
• The amount of perogies may vary depending on the size of Mini Form you are using.
• If desired, preheat a frying pan to medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil or vegetable oil.
• Add some finely chopped onions to the frying pan and sauté for 2 minutes.
• Now add the perogies, cover and lightly fry until they are lightly browned on both sides, turning once.
• Serve immediately with more butter if desired, a dollop of sour cream, chopped green onions or chives and even some cooked chopped bacon bits.
• These perogies freeze well.
• After the perogies are boiled, place them on a cookie sheet (absorb any water with paper towels).
• Place sheet in freezer for at least 2 hours until perogies are frozen.
• Place them into freezer bags or vacuum seal bags in whatever quantities are best for you and return the sealed units back to the freezer.
• The perogies will last from 6 months to 1 year when frozen.

UNCLE BILL'S BLUEBERRY FILLING FOR PEROSHKY

Steps:

• If you are using frozen blueberries, thaw before using.
• In a mixing bowl, mix together sugar and tapioca starch until well mixed.
• Reserve 1/2 cup of mixture to be used for adding to the base of the pastry.
• Add remaining sugar mixture to the blueberries and carefully mix well to coat berries.
• Let mixture sit for about 5 minutes before using.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar/tapioca starch mixture to the dough rounds or pastry cups.
• Add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of blueberries into either the regular dough or the pastry dough.
• Bake in preheated 400 F oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until crust is just lightly browned.

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.