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Peremech
Peremech (пэрэмэч): Tatar round fried yeast pies, open in the middle, filled with minced beef
RussianStreet stalls around the Kazan Kremlin fry these flat, round pies to order, and Tatar families make them on Sunday mornings in a heavy pan of hot oil. The soft yeast dough is gathered around a ball of seasoned beef mince but left open at the top like a little crater, so the meat fries crisp in the centre while the dough puffs and blisters. They are eaten hot, with sweet black tea and, for the bold, a spoon of the pan juices poured in. The usual slip is frying in oil that is too hot; the dough browns before the meat inside is cooked. Chef's tip: always fry the open side down first, it seals the meat and gives that crisp ring around the hole.
- Total time
- 95 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
- 14 oz plain flour
- 1 cup lukewarm water
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
For the filling
- 1 oniongrated
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 3 tbsp ice-cold water
For frying
- 1 ¼ cups sunflower oil
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Whisk the ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast and 1 tsp sugar into the lukewarm 1 cup lukewarm water. Mix with the 14 oz plain flour, 1 tsp salt and 2 tbsp sunflower oil and knead for 8 minutes into a soft, elastic dough.
10 minStep 2: Cover and leave in a warm place for 45 minutes, until doubled.
45 minStep 3: Mix the 14 oz beef mince (or half beef, half lamb) with the 1 onion, ¾ tsp salt, ¾ tsp black pepper and 3 tbsp ice-cold water until sticky and juicy. Keep it in the fridge.
5 minStep 4: Divide the dough into 12 balls and flatten each into a 10 cm round. Put a flat disc of filling in the middle, pull the dough up around it in pleats and press flat, leaving a 3 cm hole that shows the meat.
15 minStep 5: Heat 1.5 cm of 1 ¼ cups sunflower oil in a wide heavy pan over a medium heat to about 350°F; a scrap of dough should sizzle steadily, not violently.
5 minStep 6: Fry the pies open side down for 4 minutes, until the meat is browned and the edges golden. Flip and fry for another 4–5 minutes, until the base is deep golden and the meat in the centre is no longer pink and reaches 160°F.
9 minStep 7: Drain on kitchen paper and fry the rest in batches, keeping the oil temperature steady. Serve hot.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470 kcal
- Protein
- 19 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does peremech take?
- About 95 minutes in total: 70 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
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