Fried Russian Pies (pirozhki)

A recipe for fried Russian pies (pirozhki) with mashed potato filling.

These pies can also be made with: mince, cabbage, and eggs etc.

Dough:
Warm water 1/2 cup

Dry yeast 1 sachet (7 grams)

Sugar 1 tea spoon

Milk 1 cup

Sunflower oil 2 table spoons

Salt 1 tea spoon

Flour plain 3 and 1/2 cups

(We make our dough and knead it ourselves but if you don't have the time to knead it yourself you can always use a mixer like this one, either way will work so it's really up to you)

Filling:

Potato 1kg

Spring onions 1 small bunch (7-8 shoots)

Butter 2 table spoons

Salt 1 tea spoon

Oil:

25% sunflower oil + 75% light olive oil 150ml

Cook the potatos in salted water, drain and then mash thoroughly (without adding milk
or butter).

Slice the white parts of spring onion, sauté them in butter for 3-5 minutes.

Chop the green part of the spring onion and add to the pan and continue to sauté for 2 more minutes.

While hot add the onion to the potato mash. Mix gently.

Leave the filling to cool and in the meantime prepare the dough.

In a small mixing bowl mix warm water, sugar and yeast.
Leave for 15 minutes in a warm place until it is foamy.

In a large mixing bowl combine milk, oil and salt. Add the yeast mixture to the milk.

Gradually add flour and mix all ingredients with a wooden spoon. When it becomes hard to mix in the bowl, place the dough on a lightly floured table and kneed for 10-15 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic and does not stick to the table.

Grease the large mixing bowl with a little bit of oil. Roll the ball of dough in the oil. Cover with cling wrap and leave in a warm place for 1,5 hours for the dough to rise.

When the dough is ready, kneed it again to push out the air. Then divide the dough into 24 portions.

On the lightly floured table roll out each dough portion into a 3-4 mm thick circle.

Place a table spoon of filling in the middle of the circle and join the edges. If the filling becomes too stiff, mash it with a fork.

Press the edges together to form a pie.

Slightly flatten the pie and set aside on a greased tray.

When all of the pies are ready for frying, heat a quarter of the oil in a heavy based frypan.

Add pies to the pan, the folded side down. Fry on medium heat.

Cook on all four sides until golden brown. Note that edges cook quicker than the flat sides, take care not to burn them.

When the pies are all golden brown, place them on a paper towel, to absorbe any excess oil.

Continue with the rest of the pies adding more oil.

Serve pies warm with sweet tea and sour cream.

By the way, if you keep the dough portions and uncooked pies covered in cling wrap that will stop them from drying out.

If you liked this recipe, then why not check out our pelmeni recipe and if you'd like to receive weekly updates with new recipes then why not subscribe to our newsletter.