pirozshki

These savory pastries are traditional appetizers throughout the Soviet Union (old cookbook!) and Eastern Europe. Often pirozhki are served as a light supper with a steaming bowl of soup.


About 42 appetizers
1/2 lb ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 hard-cooked egg, finely chopped
1 Tbsp snipped dillweed or parsley*
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Sour Cream Pastry (follows)
1 egg yolk
1 Tbsp cold water

1. Cook and stir beef and onion in 10-inch skillet until beef is light brown; drain. Stir in egg, dillweed, S & P.
2. Prepare pastry: divide into fourths. Cover with damp towel to prevent drying. Roll each fourth into 12-inch circle on well-floured cloth-covered board. Cut pastry into 3-inch circles.** Place rounded teasponful filling on center of each circle. Fold one side of pastry over filling; fold in two opposite sides 1/2 inch.
3. Moisten fourth side with water; fold over to seal. Place seam sides down on ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining pastry. (Pastries can be covered and refrigerated no longer than 24 hours as this point.) Heat oven to 400 degrees. Mix egg yolk and water; brush pastries with egg yolk mixture. Bake until golden brown, 15-20 minutes.

*1 tsp dried can be substituted for fresh
** Another recipe (Craig Claiborne) says to brush each circle before filling. He calls for 1 egg beaten with 3 Tbsp water. You would need more liquid to do this.

Sour Cream Pastry
3/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream

Cut butter into flour and salt until partcles are size of small peas; stir in sour cream. Gather pastry into a ball.