9 March 2021
Fried Pirozhki or Piroshki Family Recipe. Russian Hand Pies with Cranberry Filling
With the return of sunny days and the awakening of nature after a long and cold winter, we are back in the festive season! Every year here in Russia we celebrate the arrival of spring with the week-long carnival called Maslenitsa. Last year we already told you about this festival and its typical dish known all around the world - the blini.
See our Maslenitsa Post with Blini Recipe
Although the blini are super rich and can be eaten with different fillings, it may be quite tiring to eat them all week long. Therefore, for this year's Russian Maslenitsa we would like to offer you another typical recipe, which is no less famous. We will cook sweet and sour pirozhki – delicious Russian hand pies!
See our Maslenitsa Post with Blini Recipe
Although the blini are super rich and can be eaten with different fillings, it may be quite tiring to eat them all week long. Therefore, for this year's Russian Maslenitsa we would like to offer you another typical recipe, which is no less famous. We will cook sweet and sour pirozhki – delicious Russian hand pies!
What are Pirozhki or Piroshki?
Pirozhki can be found in most Slavic cuisines, they are particularly popular in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Also, the variations of this kind of pies can be found in other Eastern European countries, in the Balkans, in Greece, the Baltic region and even in Central Asia!
But, do not confuse them with Polish pierogi, which is a different dish, called vareniki in Ukraine and Russia. Vareniki are very similar to pelmeni but they are bigger and thicker.
See our family recipe of delicious pelmeni dumplings
Pirozhki are undoubtedly one of the main highlights of our cuisine, for many centuries we cook them for holidays. Pirozhki or pirozhok in singular is the diminutive form of pirog, which is the name for a large pie and it derives from the Russian word pir or a feast.
In Russia pirog and pirozhki are the symbols of hospitable hosts. Recipes of baked or fried pirozhki made of different dough and fillings pass from mother to daughter. Here I will share with you the recipe of my grandmother's fried pirozhki with brusnika, but I offer you to substitute this Russian berry with cranberry, if you can't find it in your local shops. I remember them from my very childhood as the dessert that crowned every festive table of my family and was served with hot tea!
Pirozhki can be found in most Slavic cuisines, they are particularly popular in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Also, the variations of this kind of pies can be found in other Eastern European countries, in the Balkans, in Greece, the Baltic region and even in Central Asia!
But, do not confuse them with Polish pierogi, which is a different dish, called vareniki in Ukraine and Russia. Vareniki are very similar to pelmeni but they are bigger and thicker.
See our family recipe of delicious pelmeni dumplings
Pirozhki are undoubtedly one of the main highlights of our cuisine, for many centuries we cook them for holidays. Pirozhki or pirozhok in singular is the diminutive form of pirog, which is the name for a large pie and it derives from the Russian word pir or a feast.
In Russia pirog and pirozhki are the symbols of hospitable hosts. Recipes of baked or fried pirozhki made of different dough and fillings pass from mother to daughter. Here I will share with you the recipe of my grandmother's fried pirozhki with brusnika, but I offer you to substitute this Russian berry with cranberry, if you can't find it in your local shops. I remember them from my very childhood as the dessert that crowned every festive table of my family and was served with hot tea!
In reality, we cook these pirozhki with brusnika and it is less sour than wild cranberry and very easy to pick up, as it grows in many forests of the European part of or country, Ural and Siberia. Alternatively, we can buy brusnika in season at the markets and frozen in shops.
This berry also grows in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and some other Eastern and Central European countries, as well as in Canada and Alaska (although we don't know how it looks like on another continent).
Its name is very confusing for the English-speaking world and it is translated with a dozen of words, such as lingonberry, partridgeberry, mountain cranberry, red whortleberry and cowberry. Moreover, in many countries, it is hard to find. Therefore we decided to offer you cook our delicious piroshki with cranberries instead, but if you have our brusnika available in your country, use it!
This berry also grows in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia and some other Eastern and Central European countries, as well as in Canada and Alaska (although we don't know how it looks like on another continent).
Its name is very confusing for the English-speaking world and it is translated with a dozen of words, such as lingonberry, partridgeberry, mountain cranberry, red whortleberry and cowberry. Moreover, in many countries, it is hard to find. Therefore we decided to offer you cook our delicious piroshki with cranberries instead, but if you have our brusnika available in your country, use it!
Ingredients:
For the yeast dough
1 kilogram of flour
1 package of baking yeast (11-13 gr)
1 litre of milk
100 gr. of butter
3 tea spoons of sugar
pinch of salt
1 bottle of vegetable oil for frying
For the filling
Half kilo of cranberries, mixed with sugar (to your liking)
For the yeast dough
1 kilogram of flour
1 package of baking yeast (11-13 gr)
1 litre of milk
100 gr. of butter
3 tea spoons of sugar
pinch of salt
1 bottle of vegetable oil for frying
For the filling
Half kilo of cranberries, mixed with sugar (to your liking)
Here we use berries that are fresh or preserved for the winter (in water or frozen). I hope that in your country you can buy frozen cranberries without problem at any time of the year.
How to cook:
Step 1
Take a large bowl or a pot and sift the flour with the strainer, adding the baking yeast, sugar and salt.
Step 2
Heat the milk on the fire and melt the butter there.
Give it time to cool down to room temperature.
Step 1
Take a large bowl or a pot and sift the flour with the strainer, adding the baking yeast, sugar and salt.
Step 2
Heat the milk on the fire and melt the butter there.
Give it time to cool down to room temperature.
Step 3
Pour the milk into the flour little by little, mixing the dough.
Dust the dough with the flour a little and cover it with a cloth. Leave the dough somewhere warm to rest and rise for an hour or an hour and a half. It will seriously increase in size.
Step 4
When your dough is well risen, remove it from the pot and mix well, adding a little more flour, if necessary. Mix it until it does not stick to your hands.
I am doing it right at the table. You will get a fairly tight bowl of the dough.
Pour the milk into the flour little by little, mixing the dough.
Dust the dough with the flour a little and cover it with a cloth. Leave the dough somewhere warm to rest and rise for an hour or an hour and a half. It will seriously increase in size.
Step 4
When your dough is well risen, remove it from the pot and mix well, adding a little more flour, if necessary. Mix it until it does not stick to your hands.
I am doing it right at the table. You will get a fairly tight bowl of the dough.
Step 5
Cut a piece of the dough. And cut it into small pieces, to form some balls. They are the base for your future pirozhki.
These pieces of dough must be formed into round and medium thick balls.
I make them the palm of my hand in size.
Step 6
In the centre of each slice of dough put a teaspoon of your cranberry filling.
Do not put too much, otherwise your pirozhki won't be well-formed, the excess of the filling may break the dough and come out.
Cut a piece of the dough. And cut it into small pieces, to form some balls. They are the base for your future pirozhki.
These pieces of dough must be formed into round and medium thick balls.
I make them the palm of my hand in size.
Step 6
In the centre of each slice of dough put a teaspoon of your cranberry filling.
Do not put too much, otherwise your pirozhki won't be well-formed, the excess of the filling may break the dough and come out.
Step 7
Now we have to shape our pirozhok. It is quite difficult to describe this process, that's why I have recorded a short video. Look how my mom does it!
Normally we do it with 4 hands, to speed up the process.
Concentrate on the edges, the most important thing is to stick them together well, and so, they will stay together and the filling would not come out. There should be no cracks or holes!
Now we have to shape our pirozhok. It is quite difficult to describe this process, that's why I have recorded a short video. Look how my mom does it!
Normally we do it with 4 hands, to speed up the process.
Concentrate on the edges, the most important thing is to stick them together well, and so, they will stay together and the filling would not come out. There should be no cracks or holes!
The truth is, the shape of your pirozhki may vary, classic ones are oval and flattened on two fronts, as a boat upside down. You can also make round or triangular pirozhki. Choose the form that you are the most familiar with for the first time.
Step 8
When your pirozhki are formed, take a deep frying pan and heat enough oil to fry.
Step 9
Fry the pirozhki well from both sides, until they turn golden and for a few more minutes, until the dough is well prepared inside as well.
When your pirozhki are formed, take a deep frying pan and heat enough oil to fry.
Step 9
Fry the pirozhki well from both sides, until they turn golden and for a few more minutes, until the dough is well prepared inside as well.
Step 10
When the pirozhki are ready, put them on a plate or in a bowl, covered with the paper towel inside, so that the excess oil is absorbed.
Step 11
Now everything is ready, you can call your family and friends and enjoy your sweet and sour pirozhki with good hot tea and lovely conversation!
This amount of pirozhki would be enough to feed a company of friends and there will be some left for the next day as well.
When the pirozhki are ready, put them on a plate or in a bowl, covered with the paper towel inside, so that the excess oil is absorbed.
Step 11
Now everything is ready, you can call your family and friends and enjoy your sweet and sour pirozhki with good hot tea and lovely conversation!
This amount of pirozhki would be enough to feed a company of friends and there will be some left for the next day as well.
As I have already mentioned, cranberry filling is just one of the options.
We also make pirozhki with minced meat or fish, with cabbage, with egg and fresh chives; sweets ones with other berries, apple or plum jam….
You can make them with any filling you like, but if it's not berries, you will have to prepare the filling first. For instance, minced meat has to be fried with onion in advance.
We also make pirozhki with minced meat or fish, with cabbage, with egg and fresh chives; sweets ones with other berries, apple or plum jam….
You can make them with any filling you like, but if it's not berries, you will have to prepare the filling first. For instance, minced meat has to be fried with onion in advance.
This year we celebrate Maslenitsa from March, 8. We invite you to join us during this joyful week! You can do it virtually and have fun with your family and friends, preparing and eating typical Russian dishes, blini and pirozhki, as we do it here.
In 2021, the first day of the Maslenitsa week coincides with the International Women's Day. Here in Russia it is a very popular holiday when men congratulate women, present them with first spring flowers and release them of domestic responsibilities. Therefore, I recommend this recipe for men too. Perhaps, you will decide to impress your women with a new and original dish.
I wish you all luck with this recipe and trust me it is not difficult!
The only secret is the ability to form pirozhki and it is the matter of practice only. If you have any doubts or questions, you can always contact me. On the other hand, if you come to Russia, we can practice more together!
Text by Karina Carusel Tours
According to Karina's grandmother recipe
In 2021, the first day of the Maslenitsa week coincides with the International Women's Day. Here in Russia it is a very popular holiday when men congratulate women, present them with first spring flowers and release them of domestic responsibilities. Therefore, I recommend this recipe for men too. Perhaps, you will decide to impress your women with a new and original dish.
I wish you all luck with this recipe and trust me it is not difficult!
The only secret is the ability to form pirozhki and it is the matter of practice only. If you have any doubts or questions, you can always contact me. On the other hand, if you come to Russia, we can practice more together!
Text by Karina Carusel Tours
According to Karina's grandmother recipe