Pirozhki
Baked Russian yeast buns with cabbage and egg or potato and dill filling
Pirozhki, little oval pies of soft yeast dough, are what a Russian babushka has waiting on the kitchen table when the grandchildren arrive, and what used to be sold warm from steel carts at Moscow metro stations. They are eaten with a bowl of soup, packed for the train, or simply grabbed from the plate all afternoon. Fillings change with the season; the two most loved meatless ones are buttery cabbage with chopped egg and creamy mashed potato with fried onion and dill. Chef's tip: let the fillings cool completely before shaping; warm filling softens the dough and the buns tear and leak.
- Total time
- 85 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
For the dough
For the cabbage filling
For the potato filling
To glaze
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ⅛ lb plain flour, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast, 1 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt. Add 1 cup whole milk, 1 egg and 1 ¾ oz butter and knead for 8 minutes into a soft, smooth dough. Cover and leave to rise for about 1 hour until doubled.
60 minStep 2: Cabbage filling: cook 14 oz white cabbage with 1 oz butter and ½ tsp salt in a covered frying pan over a medium-low heat for 15–20 minutes, stirring often, until soft, sweet and lightly golden. Cool, then stir in 2 hard-boiled eggs.
18 minStep 3: Potato filling: boil 14 oz floury potatoes in salted water for 15 minutes until soft, drain and mash. Fry 1 onion in 2 tbsp sunflower oil over a medium heat for 8 minutes until golden. Mix into the mash with ⅓ oz fresh dill, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper. Cool.
15 minStep 4: Knock back the dough and divide into 16 balls. Flatten each to a 10 cm oval, put a heaped tablespoon of filling in the middle, fold over and pinch the edges very firmly into a seam.
Step 5: Lay them seam-side down on lined trays, a little apart, cover and prove 20 minutes until puffy. Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan).
20 minStep 6: Brush with 1 egg and bake for 18–22 minutes until shiny and deep golden. Cover with a clean tea towel as they cool so the crust stays soft.
20 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 190 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 28 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pirozhki take?
- About 85 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- 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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