If you know Russian, these pirozhki would be labeled as Пирожки. I’ve amended the recipe from Darra Goldstein’s Beyond the North Wind (Ten Speed Press, 2020), so you can choose to make the original recipe’s filling with sauerkraut and dried mushroom, or make a Koreo-saram (Russian-Korean) filling of kimchi and shiitake. If using kimchi for the filling, don’t rinse it or you’ll dilute the flavor. See the original post for extra dough and shaping tips, including a video!
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Korean, Russian
Keyword: dumpling, pie
Servings: 24pies
Ingredients
Pie Dough
1package active dry yeast (2 ¼ teaspoons)
2tablespoonssugar
1cuplukewarm whole milk
3 ¼cups16.25 oz all-purpose flour, unbleached or bleached
Heaping ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
8tablespoons1 stick melted unsalted butter
2eggs, lightly beaten
Filling and Glaze
¼ouncedried porcini or shiitake mushroom (about ⅓ cup)
3medium onionsfinely chopped
1small carrotpeeled and grated on the largest hole of a grater
3tablespoonscold-pressed sunflower oil
2cupsrinsed and drained sauerkraut or finely chopped drained kimchi
2teaspoonssugar
½ teaspoon salt
¼teaspoon caraway seed, or 1 teaspoon gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes)
Freshly ground black pepper
1tablespoonsalted butter or toasted sesame oil (if using kimchi)
2hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
2egg yolks, for glazing
Instructions
To make the dough, mix together the yeast, 1⁄2 teaspoon of the sugar, and 1⁄2 cup each of the warm milk and flour. Stir well. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and let the mixture sit for 30 minutes until bubbly and puffy.
Stir the remaining sugar and milk into the bowl along with the salt, melted butter, and lightly beaten eggs. Mix in the remaining flour to make a very soft and slightly sticky dough. Let the dough sit, uncovered, for 5 minutes to hydrate and become easier to work.
Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface (use about 1 to 2 tablespoons flour) and knead lightly for a few minutes until it forms a smooth mass, being careful not to incorporate too much extra flour. Grease a large bowl and place the dough in it, then turn the dough over to grease the top. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and leave the dough to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
While the dough is rising, make the filling. Soak the mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes to soften. In a large skillet, sauté the onions and carrot in the oil until softened, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain the mushrooms and chop them finely. (You should have about ¼ cup.) Add the mushrooms to the onion mixture along with the sauerkraut (or kimchi), sugar, salt, caraway (or gochugaru), and plenty of pepper. Cook, covered, over low heat for 10 minutes. Stir in the butter and the minced hard-boiled eggs. Remove the pan from the heat.
Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Punch down the risen dough and divide it into four pieces. (Each piece will weigh about 8 ounces; keep them separated with parchment to avoid sticking.) Work with one piece at a time; leave the others in the bowl, covered with the dish towel, so that they don’t dry out. Divide each quarter of dough into six equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll or pat out the pieces of dough into 3 ½-inch rounds.
Place 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of each round, then bring the two sides of the dough together at the top. Starting at one end of the pie, pinch the edges together between your thumb and forefinger. To make decorative pleats, bring the lower edge of the dough up and press it into the inside of the adjacent dough. Make another pinch and press the dough down into the adjacent lower edge. Move back and forth along the pie in this manner to make a decorative, tightly sealed seam. Once all the pies are sealed and shaped, cover them with a dish towel and allow to rise for 20 minutes. (Watch the video in the main post, if you need an assist!)
While the pies are rising, preheat the oven to 350°F. Stir the egg yolks together in a small bowl and brush the pies all over with this glaze. Check the seal on each pie and pinch any open areas. Bake the pies for 20 minutes, until golden, and serve hot.
Notes
Slightly adapted from: Darra Goldstein’s Beyond the North Wind (Ten Speed Press, 2020)