RUSSIAN PIES

 ( RUSSTEGAI )

While a traditional Pirogi requires a lot of time and effort to prepare and thus is cooked only on special occasions, there are two more casual recipes developed to accommodate a working man’s lifestyle.

Rasstegai is an individually-sized open pie that is served with traditional Russian soups instead of bread, this way making it a full meal. Depending on the type of soup various pies are served: fish Rasstegai for fish broth, meat or mushroom Pirogi for meat broth, a vegetarian pie filled with rice, onion, carrots, and onions is served with a thick fish or meat soup. Pirozhki, on the other hand, make an independent dish and are mostly served as an appetizer or a dessert if a sweet filling is used. They are same individually-sized pies as rasstegais, prepared with same yeast dough but unlike the latter are closed and may include a variety of fillings.

During Soviet times, pirozhki became a popular street food and were sold everywhere from train stations to markets. However, next time you travel to Moscow or St. Petersburg we wouldn’t recommend you to buy pirozhki from street vendors, better stop by a nice bakery, or cook them at home using the recipe below. We’ve got two you can choose from, sweet and savory!

Ingredients:

For dough:
800 – 900 grams (1.8 – 2 lb) – flour
1/2 liter (1 pint) milk
30 – 50 grams (1.5 – 2 oz) yeast
250 g (8.8 oz) butter
2 – 3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp oil
salt and pepper and garlic just a pinch. (Or More!)

For Mushroom and black olive Filling:
100 g (3.5 oz) boiled rice
100 g (7 oz) dried mushrooms, washed
100 g (7 oz) dried black and or green olives, washed
1 onion, tiny
2 – 3 tbsp butter
1 egg yolk, 1 oz butter – to brush the top of the rasstegai.

Directions:

First of all, you need a yeast dough…

Make the dough: place all ingredients in the bowl, knead the dough by hands, then make it into a big ball, and leave it in a bowl to puff up, covered with a damp cloth for about 45 minutes in a non-drafty warm place…

Then while waiting for the dough to rise…

For a stuffing: let's use mushrooms and black olives…

Soak the mushrooms and the black olives, then cook. Minced and fry the mushrooms and black olives with butter in a saucepan, add the chopped onion. Fry thoroughly. Combine with the cooked rice and mix thoroughly. Makes a yummy paste (do not keep tasting the filling!) I like to add salt, pepper, garlic powder and whatever as per my taste to the filling mix….Yes and that last tiny piece of cooked chicken breast goes perfectly diced up and tossed in also….Stop eating all the filling! You need some for the little boats you are making!

Now, let's roll some dough and make little boats for the stuffing…

When it is puffed up good and fluffy, divide it into small portions. Roll the dough balls out on a floured work surface, and place a spoonful of the stuffing in the center… (Did you eat all the filling?)

Pinch up the edges of the dough around the filling to make round or oval pies (this is where the artists get to shine in design,) leaving the center uncovered. Remember do not cover the whole pie completely. Put the Rasstegai on a baking tray greased with butter and leave in a warm place for the dough to rise the second time.

As soon as they are ready, brush with egg yolk and bake in the oven 200 – 210 C. 20 to 25 minutes (or less) in a preheated oven, They do not take long, for all you are doing is baking the bread…

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These are really simple to make and can be made with just cheese inside too fancy as you desire, of a filling as you can imagine. Just make sure all filling is a cooked product first. Do not try to cook raw meats inside these boats of dough…

REFERENCES:

https://www.gastronom.ru/recipe/1809/rasstegai-s-gribnoj-nachinkoj

https://www.travelallrussia.com/blog/most-famous-russian-pies

https://windowstorussia.com/rasstegai-the-open-pie-recipe.html