Perishke Food

FLEISCH PERISKY ( MEAT BUNS)

Steps:

• Brown ground beef in a large skillet.
• Melt 1/2 cup margarine in a separate saucepan over medium heat.
• Add 2 T. flour, stirring to incorporate.
• Add dry onion soup mixes and water to make a thick gravy.
• Bring to boil.
• Pour gravy over browned beef and simmer for about 1 hour. (I do this in my oven),
• Add fine dry bread crumbs just enough so mixture hold together. Do this just before you start forming your meat buns.
• In my Bosch mixing bowl mix the warm water, sugar and yeast.
• Warm the milk, margarine and lard in the Microwave about 3 - 4 minutes, until marg and lard have melted.
• Add to yeast mixture, and add about 8 cups of flour.
• Allow this to proof, then add salt, egg and remaining flour, just enough to make a soft dough, allowing the machine to kneed the dough.
• Place dough in a large bowl ( I use my tupperware fix-n-mix bowl). Let rise 10 - 15 minutes.
• Form perisky by pinching off pieces of dough the size of a walnut. Flatten the dough in your palm of hand and put about 1 tsp. filling on the dough. Pinch dough around the filling to seal well.
• Place on baking sheets and let rise. You can often starting baking the first pans before you are finished panning the remaining ones.
• Bake at 400 deg. for 10 - 12 minutes or golden brown.
• Enjoy !

TAYLOR'S PIROSHKI

Steps:

• In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until evenly browned; drain. Stir in the onion and cook with the beef until translucent. Sprinkle in salt, pepper and dill weed to taste. Allow to cool before using.
• Dissolve the yeast in the 1/4 cup of warm water and place in a warm location until frothy, about 10 to 15 minutes. In a medium saucepan over low heat, warm the milk and gently whisk in the eggs, oil, sugar and salt. Remove from heat.
• Place half the flour in a large mixing bowl and gradually stir in the milk mixture. Then add the yeast solution alternately with the remaining flour, stirring after each addition. Mix well. Knead until the dough forms a ball and does not stick to the bowl. (Note: Start with the 4 cups of flour. You may need to add more, a little at a time, as you knead the dough). Cover the bowl with a clean cloth. Set in a warm location and allow to rise until doubled in volume.
• Remove dough from bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Pinch off pieces approximately the size of golf balls. Roll the pieces into disks about 3 1/2 to 4 inches in diameter.
• Fill center of each disk with a heaping tablespoon of the cooled meat mixture. Fold disks over the mixture and firmly pinch edges to seal. Arrange on a flat surface and allow to sit approximately 10 minutes.
• In an large, heavy skillet or deep fryer, heat the oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Deep fry the piroshki in batches until golden brown on one side; gently turn and fry the other side. Remove and let drain on a plate lined with paper towels.

TRADITIONAL RUSSIAN PIROZHKI

Steps:

• Place 1/2 cup milk in a cup or small bowl. Stir in sugar and sprinkle yeast over the top. Set aside until foamy, about 10 minutes. Pour the remaining milk into a large bowl.
• Add the melted butter, egg, salt and 1 cup of flour to the large bowl with the milk. Stir in the yeast mixture. Mix in flour 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and doesn't stick to your hands. Cover the bowl loosely and set in a warm place to rise for about 1 hour. Dough should almost triple in size.
• While you wait for the dough to rise, melt the remaining butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, until cabbage has wilted. Mix in the eggs and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until cabbage is tender. Set this aside for the filling.
• Place the risen dough onto a floured surface and gently form into a long snake about 2 inches wide. Cut into 1 inch pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Flatten the balls by hand until they are 4 to 5 inches across. Place a spoonful of the cabbage filling in the center and fold in half to enclose. Pinch the edges together to seal in the filling.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line one or two baking sheets with aluminum foil. Place the pirozhki onto the baking sheet, leaving room between them for them to grow.
• Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown.

PIROSHKY (PIROSHKI)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in water and let stand 10 minutes. In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. Make a well in flour and add milk, egg, oil and yeast. Combine to make a soft dough. Knead about 10 minutes. Let rise one half hour to one hour.
• Brown chopped onion and garlic. In separate pan, brown ground beef. Season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion. Cool meat mixture and remove solidified fat.
• Pinch a golf-ball sized piece of dough, flatten with fingers or roll out to 1/8" thickness. Place 2 Tbsp filling in center and bring opposite edges of circle together. Pinch securely. (The traditional shape is a plump center with tapering ends.).
• Let piroshkis rise seam side down, 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350. Brush with egg and bake until golden brown (approx 20 min, it depends on the size). The piroshky may also be deep fried.
• Ed. Note: I also like to add about 1 cup cheese sauce powder (sometimes found in bulk food stores) to the meat mix. I find it gives a slightly cheesy taste. If I do that, I omit the salt.

PERISHKE

Steps:

• Dissolve the sugar in the lukewarm water, sprinkle the yeast over it and let stand 10 minutes. Combine the remaining ingredients add to the yeast mixture. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead on a floured board or counter top until smooth and satiny. Place in a bowl cover and let rise until double, punch down knead a few times and let rise again. (About 1hr-11/2hr. total).
• Meanwhile peel,dice and boil potatoes until done, mash with potato masher, add salt and pepper and Cheez Whiz if using. Allow to cool.
• Roll dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut into 11/2 or 2 inch squares or circles.
• Place about 1/2 tsp of potato mixture in the center of the dough fold over, sealing the edges well.
• Place on cookie trays and bake in pre-heated 350 deg oven for about 15 minutes or until golden brown.
• For the sauce, saute the butter over medium heat until bubbly, add onions, salt and pepper. When onions are translucent, turn heat down to medium low and add whipping cream.
• Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes more.
• Place baked perishkes in heat proof or oven proof container.
• When sauce is done, pour over perishkes, stir, let sit for 5 minutes and enjoy.
• Note: When they have cooled they can be placed in zip lock bags without the sauce-they freeze well.
• When you want to re-heat them, place in Corning Ware or similar dish, microwave for about 3-5 minutes and pour freshly made sauce over them, stir and serve.

MOM'S PERISHKY (MEAT BUNS)

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast in warm water and then mix into remaining ingredients to make dough. It will be sticky, so refrigerate overnight.
• Mix filling ingredients.
• Working with small portions of the dough at a time, roll out and cut dough with circular cookie cutter. (A margarine container or soup can work well, too -- just depends how big you want the meat buns).
• Place meat filling in center of circle and fold dough to form pocket and seal. (perishky or perogie-makers work well for this, too).
• Bake at 350F for 20 minutes.

PIROSHKI (A SAVOURY, FILLED PASTRY)

Steps:

• For pastry: Cut butter into pieces.
• Combine flour, butter, and salt using a knife or pastry blender.
• Sprinkle with 4 tablespoons ice water.
• Form into ball as you would pie dough.
• May need to add remaining 2 tablespoons water.
• Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Place pastry dough on floured board; roll out into rectangle.
• Fold over into thirds.
• Roll out again into rectangle.
• Continue rolling and folding five times.
• Rewrap in plastic; return to refrigerator for 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Grease baking sheet.
• Roll dough out to 1/8-inch thickness.
• Cut dough using 3 ½-inch round cutter.
• Place about 1 tablespoon of filling on each pastry circle.
• Fold dough over making half moons; press together edges together using ice water to seal.
• Place pies on baking sheet.
• Whisk together egg yolk and 2 tblsps water; brush pies with egg wash.
• Bake about 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.
• For Meat Filling: sauté onion in 2 tablespoons butter until soft.
• Add ground beef and sear until light gravy forms.
• Let cool.
• Mix in egg, dill, salt and pepper.
• For Potato Filling: Fry the onions in the butter until soft and golden-brown.
• Boil the potatoes in their jackets, then peel and mash them.
• Let cool slightly.
• Season with plenty of salt and pepper and mix in the onions and egg.
• For Mushroom Filling: In a pan or skillet, saute the mushrooms, onion, and shallots in the butter until the onion is translucent.
• Add the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• Continue to cook, stirring until nearly all the moisture is evaporated.
• Cool mixture slightly and mix in cream cheese or mashed potato.
• I like to sprinkle poppy seeds over the egg washed pastries filled with the mushroom filling.
• Note: these pastries are very good made with phyllo pastry, too.