Russian Potato Bread Food

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.

VARENIKI (RUSSIAN-STYLE POTATO DUMPLINGS)

Steps:

• For the filling: Saute onions with oil in a pan until softened and brown.
• Grate warm potato into a bowl and add the sauteed onion, salt and pepper. Mix together to evenly distribute ingredients into a mash-like mixture.
• For the dough: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Add flour and salt to the cleaned bowl of a stand mixer and slowly mix. Add water and oil. Mix completely. Remove dough and work into a roll, then a log shape.
• Slice a thin piece of dough and roll into a thin 4-inch round. Place 1 tablespoon potato mixture in the center of the dough circle, then fold circle into a half-moon and seal the edges. Place on the lined baking sheet. Fold over the edge of the dumpling, like a pot sticker. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Refrigerate for about 10 minutes to hold their shape.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add dumplings; they will rise to the top once they are finished cooking.
• For the garnish: Caramelize onions in some oil in a frying pan until golden brown and crispy, 5 minutes. Plate dumplings and lay caramelized onions on top with salt, pepper and sour cream.

BEEF AND POTATO PIROSHKI - OVEN BAKED

Steps:

• Place bread maker dough ingredients, in the order listed, into your bread machine and select the dough program. Milk, eggs, oil, flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Takes about 90 minutes for the dough cycle to complete.
• In a frying pan, over medium high heat, the ground beef until cooked and evenly browned. Add onions and continue to fry until translucent. Boil the peeled potatoes until soft, and make into mashed potato. Add salt and pepper to the meat and potato mixture, mix together and set aside to cool before adding to the dough.
• Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F
• When the dough is ready, carefully place onto a lightly floured surface. Roll out the dough into a long sausage shape. You want to cut into pieces that are approx. the size of a golf ball. Or you can pinch off golf ball pieces from the dough. You should get about 24 pieces from this recipe. Cover pieces you aren't working on with cling wrap so they don't dry out. I worked on 4 piroshki at a time before rolling out more, allowing 12 per baking sheet.
• Roll out the dough balls thinly into the shape of an oval. Place about 1-2 tablespoons of the filling in the centre. Pinch both sides of the edges of the dough together, creating a seal all around. Don't allow the filling to touch the edges or the seal will come apart.
• Place the piroshki on parchment paper, or a lightly greased baking tray, upside down, so you cannot see the pinched seal, and flatten them a bit. Don't allow them to touch each other, as they will stick together.
• Make the egg wash by beating the egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of whipping cream and brush the piroshki with the egg wash before putting into the oven.
• Place into the oven and bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

VARENIKI (RUSSIAN PIEROGI) WITH POTATOES AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Place potatoes into a large pot and cover with salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain potatoes and mash; season with salt and pepper.
• Combine flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl while potatoes are cooking. Stir sour cream and baking soda together in a second bowl. Add water to flour mixture and blend in, followed by sour cream mixture. Knead into a smooth dough, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook onions until browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until browned, about 5 minutes. Add to mashed potatoes.
• Divide dough into 4 portions and roll each portion into a 1 1/2-inch thick rope. Cut ropes into small 1/2-inch pieces. Press each dough piece into a small flat circle and place 1 teaspoon of potato filling in the center. Fold dough over into a half-moon shape and seal edges.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Add the vareniki in batches and cook until they float to the surface, about 3 minutes. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in a colander to drain.

RUSSIAN POTATO BREAD

Steps:

• Grease a baking sheet.
• Peel and dice your potatoes, then boil them until they're tender. Reserve 2/3 cup of the potato water and discard the rest.
• Mash and sieve the potatoes. (I personally just mashed the potatoes until there were no lumps and it turned out fine).
• Combine the mashed potatoes and potato water. Let cool to lukewarm.
• Meanwhile, combine the flours, yeast, seeds, and salt.
• Rub the butter into the flour mixture.
• Gradually work the potato gloop into the flour mixture using your hands if neccesary to form a soft dough.
• Turn out onto a floured surface and knead 8-10 minutes. Add more flour as needed to keep your dough from sticking.
• Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for approximately 1 hour (or until doubled).
• Punch down, then turn out onto a floured surface.
• Knead gently for about a minute, then shape into a 7-inch oval loaf.
• [NOTE - My 1 large loaf didn't cook all the way through. It might've just been my oven, but you may want to make two smaller loafs instead].
• Place on the greased baking sheet and lightly sprinkle with whole wheat flour.
• Cover and let rise 30 minutes.
• While it's rising, preheat your oven to 400°F.
• Using a serrated knife, slash 3-4 diagonal cuts into the top of your dough (criss-cross style).
• Bake 25-30 minutes until golden.
• Cool on a wire rack, or eat hot.

RUSSIAN POTATOES

Steps:

• In a large skillet, saute onions in oil and 1/3 cup butter until softened. Stir in sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes or until deep golden brown., Meanwhile, place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain potatoes; transfer to a large bowl. Add 1 cup sour cream, the cream, eggs, dill and remaining butter. Beat until mashed., Spread half of potatoes into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; layer with onions and remaining potatoes. Gently spread remaining sour cream over the top. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°.