Russian Piroshki
Flaky, savory, comforting, and satisfying meat pies that fit right in your hand.
Russian piroshki are a classic comfort food, humble in origin yet steadfast in goodness. Let’s take a look at how these pockets of savory perfection are done.
There’s something inexplicably magical about meat wrapped in a dough and fried (or baked). The dough is the first step: flour, yeast, salt, vegetable oil, and warm water are combined and kneaded into a smooth dough ball, then set aside to rest and rise for an hour.
Just before the dough is ready to work with, I make the filling. Ground beef is sautéed with onion, garlic, dill, and cooked white rice to make a savory filling for the piorshki. Let the filling cool a bit before it goes into the dough.
Once the filling is ready, I divide the dough into twelve pieces, roll each section into a ball, and then press and roll each ball into a circle, about 4 inches in diameter. A heaping tablespoon of dough is plunked into the center of the circle and then sealed by pinching the dough to create the half-moon pocket.
The piroshki can be baked (350℉ for 25 minutes) or fried in vegetable oil. I’ve decided to fry this batch; the outside will become a beautiful, crispy golden color while the inside of the dough remains soft and flaky.
Piroshki are a weeknight dinner served with potatoes and a side salad or game-day snacks to eat while rooting for the home team. They’re delightful pockets for a school lunch, too! Flaky, savory, comforting, and satisfying meat pies that fit right in your hand.
Russian Piroshki
For the dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 packet active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup lukewarm water, plus more as needed
For the filling:
- 1 lb lean ground beef
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 cup cooked white rice (instant or precooked bag is totally fine)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Oil, as needed, for frying
Preparation
- First, make the dough: In a large bowl, stir together the flour, yeast, and salt.
- Add vegetable oil and water and mix until the dough is smooth. If dough seems dry, add water 2 tablespoons at a time until dough is soft and smooth. If the dough seems too wet, you can add a little more flour.
- Knead dough until it forms a ball and no longer sticks to the bowl. Place in a bowl coated with oil. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, 30-60 minutes.
- While dough rises, prepare the filling: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, season the beef, then brown until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes.
- Add onion and garlic and cook until soft, 3-5 minutes more. Stir in dried dill, then adjust seasoning to taste. Stir in white rice, then set aside to cool.
- Once dough has risen, place dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 12 equal-sized pieces and roll each into a ball. Flatten each ball with your hands into a circle about 4 inches in diameter.
- Spoon some of the filling into the center of the dough and fold dough in half to create a half circle. Pinch the edges together, then pick up piroshki and more firmly pinch edges together to create a seam. Place on a baking sheet or surface, seam side down. Lightly tap to even out filling.
- Fill a large skillet or Dutch oven with oil 1-inch deep. Heat to 375°F.
- Working in batches, carefully lower piroshki into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.
- Note: If you prefer to bake these, brush piroshki with egg wash and bake for 25 minutes in a 350°F oven.
Recipe adapted from Sweet and Savory by Shinee