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Russian Piroshki Recipe for Savoury Minced Meat Filled Hand Pies. Copyright © 2022 Terence Carter / Grantourismo. All Rights Reserved.
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5 from 3 votes

Russian Piroshki Recipe for Savoury Minced Meat Filled Hand Pies

This Russian piroshki recipe makes the addictive savoury minced meat-filled pastries, also known as Russian hand pies. Eaten as a snack or with borscht, my baboushka also served piroshki as one of an array of Russian dishes during family meals. While we preferred to deep-fry piroshki, they can be baked. They taste even better the next day.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Snack/Appetiser
Cuisine: Russian
Servings: 16 Pieces
Calories: 252kcal
Author: Lara Dunston

Ingredients

Dough

  • 450 g plain flour
  • 2 tsp dried yeast
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 300 ml warm water
  • 1 ½ tbsp neutral cooking oil

Piroshki Filling

  • 100 g dried bean thread vermicelli noodles
  • 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
  • 125 g onion finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
  • 300 g minced pork
  • 250 g minced beef
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp fresh dill finely chopped

Instructions

  • To make the piroshki dough: in a big mixing bowl combine the flour, yeast and salt, then create a well in the centre of the flour into which you need to pour the water and vegetable oil and stir until combined.
  • Sprinkle a little flour onto your kitchen workspace before transferring the piroshki dough there, then knead the dough for a few minutes. When the dough is smooth and stretchy, lightly oil a mixing bowl, drop the dough in, cover it with a clean cotton tea towel, and set it aside for around one hour.
  • When the piroshki dough has doubled in size, punch it down, then remove the dough and knead it on your lightly-floured work space for a couple of minutes or until the dough is smooth. Return it to the bowl again and set it aside for another 30 minutes to prove.
  • While the dough is resting, make the piroshki filling: soak the dried bean thread vermicelli noodles in a bowl of water that completely covers them and set aside.
  • Heat a tablespoon of cooking oil in a big frying pan, skillet or wok over medium-high heat, then add the finely chopped onion, fry until soft, then add the finely chopped garlic cloves, and fry until the onion is near translucent.
  • Add the minced pork and minced beef to the fry pan, using a stainless-steel whisk to break up lumps. Add another tablespoon of cooking oil if needed, along with salt, black pepper, paprika, and sugar, and fry until brown.
  • Drain the bean thread noodles, add those to the minced mixture and combine well, tasting to ensure it is well-seasoned. If not, add more salt, black pepper, paprika, and/or sugar to suit your taste. Set aside to cool a little, then just before you’re ready to make the piroshky, add the finely chopped fresh dill and combine.
  • Clean down your kitchen work space, sprinkle lightly with flour, then drop the piroshki dough onto the surface and knead for a minute or so until the dough is smooth.
  • Shape the piroshki dough into log of around 30cm in length, cut it into 16 portions, and cover the pieces with your tea towel. Fill a small dish with water.
  • As best as you can, roll a piece of dough into a round, about 10-12cm in diameter. This dough is not as easy to shape as pelmeni or varenyki dough so don’t be too concerned if it’s not perfectly round.
  • Scoop out a heaped tablespoon of the minced mixture, place it onto one half of the dough round, and bring the other half over to cover the filling. Dip a finger into the dish of water and run it down the rim of one side of the dough then press the edges together to seal the piroshki. This results in a smooth seam, which is how my baboushka liked her piroshki.
  • Repeat until you have filled all of the dough pieces with the savoury mince mixture, keeping the finished piroshki on a flour-dusted tray, covered in a clean tea towel.
  • Half-fill a deep small- to medium-sized frying pan with cooking oil and heat to medium-high heat. Using a Chinese spoon or large slotted spoon, transfer one of the piroshki from the tray to the pan, and gently slide it into the hot oil. Transfer another one or two piroshki, and fry them in batches of two or three, ensuring they don’t touch.
  • Fry the piroshki for a couple of minutes, then turn them over to fry the other side. Turn them again if necessary, until the pastry has puffed up and is a deep brown, then transfer them to a clean tray lined with a kitchen wipes or paper towels to soak up any excess oil.
  • Repeat the process until you’ve made all the piroshki. Serve them warm with a dish of sour cream (smetana) sprinkled with fresh dill. If you’re not ready to eat them yet keep the piroshki wrapped inside a tea towel in a basket. They’re even more delicious once they’ve softened.

Nutrition

Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 471mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 2mg