Salmon Piroshki
From California: The Beautiful Cookbook by John Phillip Carroll.- Ingredients:
- Basic Dough:
- 3 c. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 c. vegetable shortening
- 7-8 Tbsp. water
- Piroshki:
- 1 batch basic dough (above)
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1/3 lb. cooked, flaked salmon
- 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill
- 1/2 c. sour cream
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
To make the dough, combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Drop in the shortening or lard and, using your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut the fat into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs or old fashioned soap flakes. Add the water, a tablespoon at a time, stirring well with a fork after each addition; add enough to that the dough is cohesive, but not sticky. On a lightly floured surface, roll it as thick as a pie crust, about 1/8 in, and cut in 3 1/2-in. rounds. Continue rerolling and cutting the scraps until all the dough is used. You should have about 24 rounds. Set them aside on waxed paper or floured surface and cover loosely with plastic wrap.
To make the filling, melt the butter. Add the onion and cook gently for about 5 minutes. Scrape into a bowl.
If you are using ground beef, return the pan to the heat and cook the meat until it loses its pinkness, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks. Then, with a slotted spoon, transfer it to the bowl containing the onion. If you are using the flaked fish, simply add it to the onion.
Add the egg, dill and sour cream and toss gently to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should be moist but not runny.
Heat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Brush the edges of each circle of dough with water and place a heaping teaspoon of filling on one side. Fold the other side over and press firmly with the tines of a fork to seal. Prick the top of each turnover twice with a fork. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 20 minutes, until golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.