Fried Meat Pies
Source/Author: Lu
These Belarusian fried pirozhki are a true family treasure. In our home, Mom always made a huge batch, because once they hit the table, it was almost impossible to stop eating them. Dad used to say they were so delicious that you’d reach for “just one more” again and again. They weren’t an everyday meal — making them takes time, patience, and care — but Mom made them often enough for the smell of frying dough and savory meat to become one of the most comforting memories of our kitchen.
Ingredients:
| • sugar | 1 tablespoon |
| • salt | to taste |
| • onion | 1 small |
| • butter | 15 g (about 1 tablespoon) |
| • All-purpose flour | 2½ cups |
| • baking powder | 1 teaspoon |
| • egg | 1 |
| • freshly ground black pepper | to taste |
| • ground coriander | to taste |
| • sweet paprika | to taste |
| • ground meat | 1 lb |
| • kefir | 1 cup |
| • oil (for frying) | as needed |
| • extra flour for rolling | as needed |
| • fresh herbs of your choice | to taste |
1. DOUGH. The butter should be soft, so take it out of the refrigerator ahead of time.
2. In a large bowl, combine kefir, egg, salt, and sugar. Mix well.
3. Add 2 cups of flour and the baking powder. Stir until combined.
4. Add another ½ cup of flour and start kneading the dough. Add the remaining flour gradually while kneading.
5. Add pieces of the soft butter and knead until the dough is smooth, elastic, and no longer sticky.
6. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rest.
7. FILLING. Finely chop the herbs (fresh parsley, cilantro, and basil work especially well).
8. Peel and finely chop the onion.
9. In a bowl, combine the ground meat, chopped herbs, onion, salt, freshly ground black pepper, coriander, and sweet paprika. Mix well.
10. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about 2 mm (⅛ inch) thick. Cut out circles 3–3½ inches in diameter. Place a spoonful of filling on each circle. Fold in half with the filling inside and pinch the edges, leaving a small opening at each end. 11. Gently flatten the pie with your hand to remove excess air, then seal the remaining openings. Place the pies on a floured plate. (You can shape all the pies in advance, cover them with plastic wrap, and keep them in the refrigerator until ready to fry.)
12. Heat oil in a deep skillet. The oil is hot enough when bubbles form around a wooden spoon placed in it. Fry the pies over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Transfer to paper towels to absorb excess oil.
13. Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C).
14. Place the fried pies in an oven-safe dish, cover with a lid or foil, and bake for 15 minutes to let them finish cooking and become tender.
SERVING IDEAS:
- With sour cream on the side for dipping.
- Serve with a simple cucumber-tomato salad or shredded cabbage with a little oil and salt.
- With pickles or sauerkraut — the acidity balances the rich fried dough.
- Arrange on a large plate and serve with black tea with lemon.
