Potato or Meat Pies a.k.a PIROJKI
April 1, 2008
This is the winner in our family. Pirojki. They are believed to have originated from Russia, but have well blended into the cuisine of Azerbaijan and are popular both among the grownups and children alike. These dough pockets, stuffed with savory fillings such as cabbage, mashed green peas, potato or meat, can be either deep fried or baked in the oven. Usually deep fried “pirojki” is sold as fast food in bakeries, cafeterias and by street vendors. I am posting a recipe for the baked pirojki with 2 fillings to choose from - one is a vegetarian delight and the other is sure to satisfy meat lovers 
Follow this recipe to make potato OR meat pockets, and enjoy them with a cup of hot sweet tea or just plain! I know one thing for sure, once ready, these golden delights go fast! So… don’t miss your share!
PIROJKI
Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus 1 ½ hours dough rising time
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Makes 22-25 pies
INGREDIENTS
For the Dough
½ cup (4fl oz / 125ml) lukewarm water
1 package active dry yeast (1/4 oz / 7g)
3 cups (15oz / 470g) all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoon sugar
½ cup (4fl oz / 125ml) milk
1 egg + 1 egg white (reserve the yolk for glazing)
½ cup oil (4fl oz / 125ml)
For the Filling
Potato filling:
3 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 medium potatoes, boiled and peeled
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro (coriander), or parsley or dill
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
Meat filling:
3 tablespoons oil
1 small onion, chopped
13 oz (375g) ground beef
salt, to taste
pepper, to taste
For Glazing
1 egg yolk
VARIATION: Another delicious variation would be to stuff the pockets with crumbled white cheese, such as feta, mixed with chopped fresh parsley.
COOK’S TIP: For the yeast to work best, all ingredients should be at room temperature. Remove the eggs from refrigerator about 30 minutes prior to adding them to the dough.
COOK’S TIP: If you used up all of the filling and still have some dough left, you can make small dinner rolls. Brush the remaining dough ball with egg yolk, sprinkle with some poppy, nigella or sesame seeds and bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until golden.
1. Prepare the dough. Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm water and let stand for about 5 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, sugar, and mix. Add the yeast mixture, milk, eggs and oil and stir in using your hands until a rough ball forms. Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-6 minutes. Put the dough into a large bowl, cover with a kitchen towel or a plastic wrap and leave to rise in a warm place for about 1 ½ hours, or until doubled in bulk. The dough should look puffy and be soft when poked with a finger.
2. In the meantime, prepare the filling. To prepare potato filling, in a medium non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for about 7 minutes, or until lightly brown. In a mixing bowl, mash boiled potatoes (I like to leave it slightly coarse). Add fried onion, fresh herbs, season with salt and pepper, and mix well.
To prepare meat filling, in a medium non-stick frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add onion and sauté for about 5 minutes or until translucent. Add meat and stir-fry together for about 10 minutes, or until meat is brown. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If you prefer a smoother filling, grind the mixture in a food processor until you obtain a desired consistency. (That’s what I usually do and I love the result).
3. Gentry press down on the dough to release the gases that have built up during the rising. The dough should not be sticky. Divide the dough into small balls about 1 ½ inches (3.8 cm) in diameter You should be able to make 22-25 balls.
4. At this stage you can use either method to shape your pirojki- whichever you are comfortable with. Method A: Using a wooden rolling pin, roll out each ball into a circle about 4 inches (10cm) in diameter. Place a tablespoonful of filling on the circle, lift the edges towards the center and press to seal. Gently pat the pocket to flatten it slightly. Continue with the rest of the dough. Method B: Since the dough is very elastic, it is easy to handle with hands. You can flatten, stretch, fill and seal the dough, holding it in your palm and using your other hand. Just like in the pictures below. I use this method. It’s quick and easy.
5. Place the dough pockets on a baking sheet seam side down, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart, and allow to rest for about 15 minutes.
6. In the meantine, preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C).7. Brush the pockets with egg yolk and bake for about 25 minutes or until golden.
NUSH OLSUN! ENJOY!
Entry Filed under: Baked Goods, Vegetarian. Tags: Baked Goods, meat pie, pirogi, pirojki, piroshki, potato pockets, stuffed roll, vegetarian pie.
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1.
Elle | April 1, 2008 at 2:18 pm
Oh my gosh, those look fantastic! And they look easier than I’d have ever thought, too. Filing this one to try…
2.
Mona | April 1, 2008 at 3:14 pm
Those look very yummy! Just like Indian Potato or meat Samosas, but a little different. Thnx for sharing the recipe!
3.
Kevin | April 1, 2008 at 6:12 pm
Great photo! That bread is perfectly golden brown and looks really good.
4.
Medena | April 1, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Not hard at all, great directions! Thanks, now I am hungry, and I am IN BED!!! :)))
Mouthwatering photo!
5.
Katie B. | April 1, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Those look delicious!!! What great color they have!
6.
Tarah | April 1, 2008 at 9:26 pm
A potato pie please :]
I defiantly am going to try these. They look so good!
7.
chuck | April 1, 2008 at 9:31 pm
The Pirojki look great, perfect finger food for a party. I have to bookmark this for my next get together. Thank you!
8.
Pixie | April 1, 2008 at 11:21 pm
Hi Farida,
thanks for stopping by yesterday on my blog…this looks wonderful and I adore different ethnic dishes, i’ve read about you looking for others to test recipes from your new cookbook-i’ll have to write you an email during the week (if i forget, please do get in touch!)
pix
oh, shall add you to my google reader
9.
farida | April 2, 2008 at 12:53 am
Elle: They are really not that hard to make. Enjoy!
Mona: Welcome to my blog! Yes, these remind Indian samosas which I hope to make one day.
Kevin: Thank you! Egg yolk works wonders on baked goods
Medena: Welcome to my blog! These are not hard at all to make you are right.
Katie: Thanks for visiting! Enjoy!
Tarah: I wish you lived closer
Thanks for visiting!
Chuck: Welcome to my blog! Glad you like the recipe!
Pixie: It’s great to meet people who explore ethnic cuisines! I emailed you already before you forget
10.
Rosa | April 2, 2008 at 1:06 am
Wow, they look beautiful! I’ve always loved Potato Pirojki, but never had the opportunity to eat that dish too many times! I guess that I’ll have to remediate to that sad situation ;-P…
Cheers,
Rosa
11.
familiabencomo | April 2, 2008 at 8:21 am
I love how beautifully you explain everything accompanied by the perfect photo. You are too clever. Thank you for posting this - I’m going to try is this week.
xoxox Amy
12.
momatlarge | April 2, 2008 at 8:21 am
Great photos and looks like a very good recipe! It’s particularly good that the photos really show how to do the recipe step by step. Will be trying it out.
13.
Seena | April 2, 2008 at 10:17 am
Farida!
They are amazing!
mmm, like samosas? I love to try this, so tempting..
Photo is very beautiful!!
14.
farida | April 2, 2008 at 11:27 am
Rosa: Thank you! Let me know how your pirojki turns if you make it.
Amy: Thank you. Enjoy your pirojki
Momatlarge: Thanks for visiting my blog. I am glad you like the recipe. Enjoy!
Seena: Thank you. I have yet to try your samosas
15.
brilynn | April 2, 2008 at 11:48 am
Those look delicious!
16.
Maya | April 2, 2008 at 11:59 am
Farida:
These adorable pastries reminds me curry puffs and curry buns that are wildly popular in Malaysia.
Yours look absolutely picture perfect!
17.
Cynthia | April 2, 2008 at 1:16 pm
This is a recipe that I will definitely be trying! Thanks for sharing it.
18.
Paige | April 2, 2008 at 2:50 pm
AHHHHH one of the best Latvian foods ever!
My Oma used to make these all the time, and even when I was a vegetarian I would still eat the bacon ones as they’re too good to resist.
19.
diva | April 2, 2008 at 3:15 pm
amazing! they remind me of Cornish Pasties…look so good.
20.
Gretchen Noelle | April 2, 2008 at 7:37 pm
These look so similar to empanadas. I am sure they would go over big here. I will try to make these sometime soon and see!
21.
farida | April 2, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Brilynn: thank you for coming back! Enjoy!
Maya: glad you like my recipe! I would love to try Malaysian version one day, too!
Cynthia: thank you! Enjoy!
Paige: looks like pirojki is popular in the entire ex-Soviet hemisphere
Diva: than you for stopping by! Enjoy!
Gretchen: yes, they do remind empanadas. Let me know how your pirojki turns out
Have fun baking!
22.
sunita | April 3, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Frida, thanks for dropping by my blog….you’ve got a wonderful space here.
A few days ago, I posted something similar to your pirojkis, which was just a spur of the moment idea…after looking at those beauties of your’s, it does seem that I’m on the right track
23.
Gullu/Julia | April 3, 2008 at 5:22 pm
LEZZET! i’m eating this DILLICIOUS pirochki, and writing a comment @ the same time-it’s awsome! haven’t seen any better - just awsome! the one i’m eating right now just came out of oven, and is burning hot1 it’s so good! well thanks A LOT, MERCI BEACOUPE for the resipy!
24.
Sevinj | April 3, 2008 at 5:29 pm
Farida, men mejbur oldum ve extra un tokdum. Menim agilli, geshenk qizim, he he he, mene komek etdi, ve chox yaxshi alindi
( menim mamam dedi, ve men yaziram, ona gore ozumu oggeder tarifledim) he he he! chox datdiyidi! chox sagol!
25.
Zenchef | April 3, 2008 at 9:06 pm
This looks absolutely incredible! My kind of food.
Well done!
26.
Molly W | April 4, 2008 at 10:31 am
Those peroshki are a real show stopper. I think I’m going to make them absolutely as soon as possible - like today. Thank you for the really terrific directions.
27.
farida | April 4, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Sunita: Welcome and thank you for your nice words! You have a great blog, too. There is a lot to learn from you!
Gullu & Sevinj: Mommy and her wonderful daughter
I am glad you enjoyed making and eating pirojki!
Zenchef: Thanks for stopping by! And for your encouraging words!
Molly: Thanks for visiting! Please let me know how your pirojki turns out. Always great to receive a feedback
28.
violets | April 5, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Hi Farida
These look lovely all of my family love pies.
Btw I’m making your zebra cake tomorrow.
Vi xx
29.
Allen | April 5, 2008 at 1:40 pm
Oh, Farida … these are beautiful! They remind me of a Russian pastry I had a few months ago, but yours look so much better
I planned to make something sweet this weekend, but you may have just changed my mind.
30.
Scott at Realepicurean | April 6, 2008 at 1:27 pm
Interesting! My wife makes something so similar called Pierogi - she’s Polish.
Amazing how food travels the globe!
31.
garry | April 6, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Im always looking for something that is different, delicous and is easy for someone with my limited cooking abilities to cook, this fits the bill and the instructions are easy to follow.
32.
farida | April 7, 2008 at 12:11 pm
Vi: Glad you like it! Just saw your Zebra cake on you blog. Good job! Thank you for your flattering words about my blog, too
Allen: There is another recipe for this pirojki, where you make a sponge first and then mix it with the the rest of the ingredients, but this one is easy and saves time. plus, the taste is great! Let me know how it turns out!
Scott: Welcome to my blog! Pirojki is small Pirogi. I think the variations of it are pretty popular in Eastern Europe and in ex-Soviet Union countries. You are right, food travels the globe
there are no borders for it 
Garry: Thanks for visiting! Glad you like my recipe! Please visit again for more.
33.
Marysol | April 8, 2008 at 11:32 am
Farida, you’ve done it again. They look truly amazing. I’m going to make Pirojki, and I have a feeling they will also be a winner at our house.
Thank you for sharing this one!
34.
Saswati | April 8, 2008 at 12:17 pm
hey farida so sweet of you to write such nice lines for me…infact i added you in my blogroll today as i found your recipes amazing.here in moscow i have been tasting azerbaijani food in restaurants and have fallen in love with the food.Thanx for subscribing…even I am subscribing to yours too…can’t afford to miss a single recipe from now on
I have had these pirojkis here so many times and now i know how to make them too…they look awesome.
35.
carlinhos | April 9, 2008 at 11:43 am
well, i like its…
I´ll be back!
36.
farida | April 9, 2008 at 10:30 pm
Marysol: Please let me know how your pirojki turns out if you make it.
Saswati: Than you! IInteresting to hear that you have tried Azerbaijani food in Russia
Was there anything in particular you liked? I am curious. Please visit again!
Carlinhos: Thank you for stopping by. Yes, please , do come back
37.
Emel | April 12, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Farida,
those yummy looking pirojki’s make me run to kitchen and cook it right away. I love pirojki so much ! it is not only dish but a wonderful childhood memories. Thanks a lot for sharing it with us!
38.
Emel | April 14, 2008 at 7:01 pm
Hi Farida,
I did it today. They turned out just great. Austin was impressed by the dough itself. We have the big batch of pirojkis with potato, meet and feta cheese, so come join us :). Actually i experimented and added some oregano to cheese and Austin suggested some shredded mozzarella. So it turned out very tasty ( i think it reminded me the taste of pizza tiny bit).
I could not resist the idea of making pirojki
Thanks again for this wonderful recipe!
39.
farida | April 14, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Emel, I am so glad you tried the recipe and it is great that it turned out delicious! I think by the time we arrive at your house no pirojki will be left:)) so we decided postponing visiting you now:)) Enjoy!
40.
Lily | April 15, 2008 at 5:43 pm
I just finished making these and they are amazing :). So light and fluffy, and the potato filling is a wonderful complement to the bread.
I’ll be making these again with different fillings.
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe and making it so easy to follow!
41.
Home Sweet-smelling Home &hellip | April 16, 2008 at 3:27 pm
[...] Our home smells amazingly good right now. I finished baking these potato pies called pirojki, the recipe of which I got from the blog of Farida, a very personable young mother from [...]
42.
farida | April 17, 2008 at 11:33 am
Lily: I am so flattered that you tried my recipe! Glad they turned out yummy!
Barbara: I am happy that your home was filled with the nice smell from the freshly baked Pirojki
I love the smell of baked goods!
43.
Divya Vikam | April 25, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Farida..Am trying this reipe today..And the pirojki s are now getting baked inside the oven..Thanks for sharing ur recipe
44.
farida | April 25, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Divya: I am so glad you are trying the recipe! Your house must be smelling good now
Let me know how they turn out please.
45.
Athisaya Divya | April 25, 2008 at 8:20 pm
Farida..The pirojkis turned wonderful..We had it with hot tea..My husband liked it a lot..Thanks for ur recipe
46.
Susan | May 21, 2008 at 7:49 am
Nearly every culture has some sort of bread pocket or dumpling. Yours look heavenly, Farida. Thanks for all the detailed photos; they make it much easier to recreate the recipe successfully. Next rainy day, I shalll make them.
47.
nic | May 26, 2008 at 3:37 pm
I remember these as a child. WOW Delicious!