www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall Calling Orthodox Pyrohy

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Andrew

Here I thought this was going to be a recipe thread.

LOL!

Initially, so did I! :rolleyes:

Alice

Tsk Tsk - how can it be - it's not a Fast Period

Does it really matter if the recipe is from an authentic Orthodox person? Because this one looks good but I don't know the cook's religious affiliation. I do know that she is Ukrainian if that helps.

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
2 teaspoons oil
3/4 cup warm water

Mix the flour with the salt in a deep bowl. Add the egg, oil and water to make a medium soft dough. Knead on a floured board until the dough is smooth. Caution: Too much kneading will toughen the dough. Divide the dough into 2 parts. Cover and let stand for at least 10 minutes.

Prepare the filling. The filling should be thick enough to hold its shape. Roll the dough quite thin on a floured board. Cut rounds with a large biscuit cutter, or as most Ukrainian Baba's did, with the open end of a glass. Put the round in the palm ofyour hand. Place a spoonful of filling in it, fold over to form a half circle and press the edges together with the fingers. The edges should be free of filling. Be sure the edges are sealed well to prevent the filling from running out. Place the pierogi on a floured board or tea towel and then cover with another tea towel to prevent them from drying out.

Cooking

- Drop a few pierogies into a large quantity of rapidly boiling salted water. Do not attempt to cook too many at a time. Stir VERY gently with a wooden spoon to separate them and to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Continue boiling for 3-4 minutes. The cooling period will depend upon the size you made it, the thickness of the dough and the filling. Pierogies will be ready when they are puffed. Remove them with a perforated spoon or skimmer to a colander and drain thoroughly. Place in a deep dish, sprinkle generously with melted butter to prevent them from sticking. Cover and keep them hot until all are cooked. Serve in a large dish without piling or crowding them. Top with melted butter - chopped crisp bacon and/or chopped onions lightly browned in butter.

Reheating

- One of the great things about perogies, is that they can be made in large quantities, refrigerated, frozen and reheated without loss of quality. Many prefer reheated perogies as compared to freshly boiled ones. To re-heat, you can 1) pan fry pierogies in butter or bacon fat until they are light in color or 2) heat the pierogies in the top of a double boiler or in the oven until they are hot and plump or 3) deep fry them. -Chris Gidzak

I saw some recipes with milk, eggs, and meat as well.

PYRIZHKY
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 package dry yeast
1 cup scalded milk
1/4 cup butter or shortening or oil
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup sugar
4 1/2-5 cups sifted flour

MEAT FILLING
1 medium onion, chopped fine
4 tablespoons butter
1 lb ground beef (or half pork and half beef)
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 cup soup stock or water
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
2 hardboiled egg, chopped

24 filled meat buns
1 hour 30 mins prep

PYRIZHKY DOUGH:
1. Dissolve the sugar in the lukewarm water, sprinkle the yeast over it, and let it stand for 10 minutes.
2. To the hot scalded milk, add the butter, and cool to lukewarm.
3. Add the eggs, salt, sugar, and yeast.
4. Mix in enough flour to make a medium soft dough as for bread.
5. Knead on a floured board until smooth and satiny.
6. Return to the bowl, cover, and let it rise until double in bulk.
7. Punch down, knead a few times in the bowl, and let it rise again.
8. Use any favorite filling in the recipes that follow.

TO MAKE THE PYRIZHKY

9. Cut off small egg-sized pieces of dough, flatten each or roll 1/4 inch thick.
10. Place a generous portion of the filling in the center, bring the edges together, and press to seal securely.
11. (I wet the edges with a bit of beaten egg white and seal with well floured fingertips).
12. All edges must be free of filling.
13. Shape into an oblong with a plump center and tapering ends (like a football).
14. This is the traditional shape of pyrizhky.
15. As an alternative method, the dough may be rolled 1/4 inch thick, cut into squares, filled, and sealed as directed.
16. Place, sealed side down, on a greased baking sheet, spacing them 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart.
17. Cover and let them rise in a warm place until light, for about 1 hour.
18. Brush them with a beaten egg diluted with 2 tablespoons of water or milk.
19. Bake in a moderate oven (375 degree F) for 30 to 35 minutes depending on their size.

MEAT FILLING:
20. Cook the onion in half of the butter until it is tender.
21. Add the remaining butter and the meat.
22. Brown the meat lightly.
23. Season with salt and pepper.
24. Cover and cook over a low heat until done.
25. Remove the meat.
26. Stir the flour into the drippings.
27. Add the soup stock or water, then cook, until the sauce comes to a boil.
28. Combine with the meat and cool.
29. Mix in the parsley and chopped eggs.
30. *I like to use left-over cooked roast put through a meat grinder or food processor,is more flavourful.

Actually the thread title was the basis for a Sci Fi Channel show that got shelved. "Orthodox Pyrohy" was a super hero decked out in a kamilavka and a cape. When any Orthodox people are in trouble, they put out their special "pyrohy lamp" (to which he replies "whut chuz want?") but then he comes and turns the bad guys in to tasty dumplings.

There was an episode (like the Superman/Anti Superman theme) where "Orthodox Pyrohy" meets up with "Byzantine Catholic Pyrohy". They duel it out to see who can make the best pyrohy, but in the end people find their pyrohy's look and taste the same so nobody can tell the difference.

His other chief weapon is something called the "atomic anathemizer" (which was really a Ford Ranchero with a rear mounted tennis ball launcher). His achilles heel is that he is powerless outside of Coal Country.

Anyhow, it never made it beyond the pilot.

A

I also recall a certain fondness for Yuengling beer and church picnics.

Maybe it was the picnics that did the pilot in. In this heat, no one would believe it.

Actually the producers said the show was optimally enjoyed only after drinking "6 to 12 Yuenglings or Rolling Rocks".

Andrew

As a Ukrainian, I have to clarify, that the recipe for PYRIZHKY listed above is not for pyrohy, which are boiled (boiled dumplings).
The popular "pyrohy" are actually called varenyky, but in Western Ukrainian are locally called pyryohy.

The PYRIZHKY in the recipe is actually a yeast dough baked in the oven and a different dish although tasty too.
My family's recipe is:
Boil 4 medium potatoes
save potato water
Mash potaoes and mix with
1 lb. dry cottage cheese or "famrer's cottage cheese put through a sieve.
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Dough:
5 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp salt
2 egg yolks
13/4 cups reserved potaot water
Turn dough onto flowred surface and knead until smooth (takes practice).
lET stand, covered for about 10 minutes

Divide into 10 to 15 parts and roll out 1/4 inch thick.
Cut pieces with 3 inch glass end or round cookie cutter.
Place 1 tsp of filling (potato and cheese) in each cut out piece of dough.
Fold over and pinch together.
Drop into boiling water and boil for 4 to 5 minutes until pyrohy rise to the top of pot.
Drain and sprinkle with fried onions and melted butter.
Makes lots.
Good luck.
When I was a child we sprinlked with fried pork fat peices from the butcher shop. Now we are health conscious and use onions and butter.
Tastes great warmed up in microwave with melted butter.

Correction to:
13/4 cups reserved potaot water
should read 1 & 3/4 cups reserved potato water
Let stand ......

Hehe, I go to work and come home popular. I cleared my message box.

ANDREW!

I never knew that you had so much humor in you!
I think that, in you, we have a future 'Onion Dome' writer in our midst! :p

Regards,
Alice

Powerless outside the coal region :p
Hilarious! Now Andrew, I await thy mystical private message.