Piroski are a well-known Greek appetizer, introduced by the Pontians from the black sea area. When the Pontians were scattered throughout Greece, they maintained their traditions and dishes such as Piroski.
Piroski Recipe Ingredients:
- 4 cups flour (use gluten free if following a gluten free diet)
- 4 egg yolks
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3 leveled tablespoons yeast
- 1 leveled teaspoon salt
- 1 lb. ground beef
- Vegetable oil for frying (you may also use olive oil)
- 1 small onion
- Parsley
- Tomato sauce
How to Make Piroski:
Warm the milk until lukewarm, then crumble the yeast into it with your fingertips. Add 1 cup flour and mix all into a smooth dough. Cover and let stand in a warm area to rise.
Next, add the butter, egg yolks, salt and the rest of the flour and stir well. Knead into a tight and elastic dough. If necessary, add water or flour. Cover with a towel and again set in a warm place to rise a second time. Then knead once more to knock down the dough.
Break into small pieces.
During the rising of the dough, cook the ground beef. Mix it with 2 tablespoons of butter, a finely chopped onion, chopped parsley and a small quantity of tomato. Cook well, adding 4 or 5 tablespoons of grated cheese just before it is finished.
Take a small piece of dough and roll it flat, on a floured board with a rolling pin. Lay one spoonful of cooked ground meat in the center of the dough. Fold the dough in half to form a half-moon shape and enclose the filling. Shape it a little in the palm of your hand to make a more oval shape.
Smear with egg white. Place on a greased baking tin and set aside in a warm place to rise.
Then deep-fry the turnover in oil until each turns a golden brown. Take them from the oil with a perforated spoon, lay on paper towels to drain and serve them warm.
Here are some variations to this piroski recipe:
1. Instead of frying the turnovers, you can bake them in an oven. In this case, after wrapping the turnovers, put them in a buttered baking pan to rise. Brush the tops with egg white. Then put them in a moderate oven and bake until brown.
2. The meat filling can be made from lean chicken, ham, fish or hard-boiled eggs, chopped and mixed with bechamel sauce or mashed potatoes.
3. Another variation is sweet Russian turnovers. Add 3 tablespoons of sugar together with the salt to the dough. Fill with jelly or marmalade and chopped candied fruit. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve. This is a great dessert turnover option!
