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Russian Piroshki

Piroshki or pirozhki are individual-sized baked pastries stuffed with a variety of fillings. Cabbage and potato are some of the most popular fillings.

Pirozhki are usually eaten like rolls to accompany a soup, but they are also convenient as appetizers because they are finger food. The following recipe uses a filling of cabbage with hard-boiled eggs. NOTE: As a shortcut, you can use commercial refrigerated dough for crescent rolls or biscuits and roll it out and fill it as indicated below.

Ingredients:
Dough:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup oil
2 eggs

Filling:
3/4 head medium head cabbage, finely chopped
4 hard-boiled eggs
8 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
Dissolve the yeast in 1/4 cup lukewarm water and 1 teaspoon sugar and set it aside for about 10 minutes until it starts to foam. Combine flour, salt and sugar and mix them well. Separate the yolk of one egg and set it aside to brush on the pirozhki before baking. Add the yeast mixture, milk, oil, and eggs (1 whole egg plus 1 egg white), and knead for five minutes until the dough is soft and elastic. Cover the dough and set it aside in a warm place for about one hour until it doubles in size.

Prepare the filling while the dough rises. Place the chopped cabbage in 4 quart pot and pour boiling water until the cabbage is covered. Heat the pot on the stove and boil for about five minutes until the cabbage is tender. Drain the water, add the sugar, the 8 tablespoons of butter, season with salt and pepper, and fry for about five minutes. Add the 4 chopped hard-boiled eggs and mix well. Set aside to cool until the dough is ready.

Take pieces of dough about the size of a golf ball and roll them out into circles about 6 inches in diameter. Add two tablespoons of filling and seal the pastry by moistening the edges of the circle and then pinching them together. Place the pirozhki on a baking sheet and let them rise for around 15 to 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F and brush the dough with the yolk of one egg. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until they turn golden brown.

Piroshki can be shaped in various forms for different fillings. This makes it easy to identify their contents. Here is a video of how potato and cheese piroshki are made at the bakery Piroshky Piroshky in Seattle, Washington.

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