Free Form Cooking: Cabbage Piroshkis

Okay so I’m the type of cook who uses recipes as a general guide or source of inspiration. It must come from the amateur, but passionate, dancer in me. I’m creating a new work of art that will be gone when the music stops or when the eating’s done.

This recipe is my first attempt at making a dough pocket inspired by Russian piroshkis.

They are so delicious ! Every time I am in Seattle ( alas all too rarely) I visit the piroshki place at Pike’s Place.

This recipe is inspired by the Time Life Books- Recipes: Russian Cooking. I created a mixture of Vatrushki ( pot-cheese tartlets) and Pirozhki ( small pastries filled with meat).

Step 1: Dough:Vatrushki

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

Start by mixing these ingredients together.

Then make a well in the center…. drop in the egg, sour cream, and butter. ( used Earth’s Balance- veg oil no trans fat)

Mix ingredients together slowly.

Form a ball of dough.

Wrap in wax paper and chill for at least 30 minutes.

NOW for the filling:

I made mine with ground pork ( from my parent’s happy hogs) and cabbage.

Saute oil or butter with spices and herbs, here I used rosemary.

Sautee onions ( 3c)

Now meat- I used pork as I said above- around 1 pound.

Add chopped cabbage.

Add spices and salt.

Take your dough out of fridge.

Roll it out very thin. Using wax paper makes this actually do-able.

Now cut out circle or oval shape pieces of dough.

Fill with the filling

Now shape into lovely pockets.

Brush with eg

Bake at 400 degrees for around 30 minutes.