Some of the best recipes out there are age-old, traditional ones. This is one such beloved recipe that passes down generations but is never old. At my house, these little things barely make it to a serving platter as they fly right off the frying pan.
Due to its oil content, I try not to make them too often. But despite being deep-fried, the outcome really doesn't taste that greasy. The thick and spongy dough gives them the appearance and feel of baked dinner rolls on the inside, which is untouched by oil. With a savory filling, they are downright irresistible!
Everybody has their own way of making them, I like to use a dough that goes with different filling variations. Some of our family’s favorites are cabbage, meat, and farmers/cottage cheese. The neutral-like dough may also be deliciously used with sweet-flavored filling, like fruit and jam. A word of caution, though, these treats...
... cousin to doughnuts, quickly become a guilty pleasure. You'll find yourself making them again, shortly after. We like them hot but they’re great cold as well.
Got leftovers? They make for a great cold sandwich replacement in your lunchbox. Other delicious ways to eat them is a bread substitute with a bowl of soup, or by dunking them into endless sauces. I hope you enjoy them as we do! 😉
Ingredients:
1 cup (225ml) – water
1 cup (225 ml) – milk
1 tbsp. (15 ml) – sugar
1 tbsp. (15 ml) – dry active yeast
2 large – eggs
¼ cup (55 g) – sour cream
½ stick (4 tbsp. or 60 ml) – butter (melted)
1 tsp. (5 ml) – salt
5 cups (600 g) – all-purpose flour
Extra Light Olive Oil (for frying Belyashi)
Meat Filling for Belyashi:
1 lb. (454 g) – pork
1 lb. (454 g) – turkey breast
1 small onion
2 extra large – garlic clove
1 large – egg
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
Instructions:
1. Combine milk and water. Heat on the top stove until barely warm. Add sugar and dry yeast. Mix until sugar dissolves and set it a warm environment to proof, for 15 minutes.
2. Into a mixer bowl add eggs, salt, sour cream and mix everything together with the dough hook attachment (or hand whisker) on medium speed. Add melted butter and mix again.
3. Then add 1 cup of flour, mix on low, and then ½ cup at a time after that until all flour is incorporated.
4. The dough should be thin (starchy) and sticky, unlike for pirozhki baked in the oven.
5. Cover the dough in the mixer bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for an hour.
Filling Instructions:
While the dough is rising, make the meat filling (or filling of your choice). Rinse and grind meat. Add egg, shredded garlic, onion, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix everything together with a hand mixer on low until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready for use.
Assembly Instructions:
1. The dough should triple in size. Scrape the sides of the mixer with a silicone spatula to deflate the bubbles. Dip your finger in oil and pinch off chunks about ½ cup in size. Flatten each chunk of dough with your hands, place some filling on each dough pancake, bring the surround edges together and pinch to seal in the filling.
2. Pinch the edges together tightly so they don't come apart at the seams, especially when deep frying. Dip your hands in oil again if necessary and shape the Belyashi into an oval shape.
Frying Instructions:
1. Pour half a small saucepan of oil. Heat the oil to 300F. Place as many Belyashi as will fit on the surface without overlay. Fry Belyashi for about 2 min on each side or until golden brown.
2. Place fried Belyashi onto a paper towel to soak in excess oil. Repeat the same steps with the rest of the dough and filling. Form a few Belyashis at a time, while others are frying. Do not make all Belyashi at once then fry them, because they will rise too much by the time they make it in the oil, and will be very airy inside once fried. Not pretty! 🙂
Cool Belyashi for about 15 minutes and enjoy!
You may make Belyashi with many different fillings.
Meat.
Braised Cabbage.
Farmers and Cottage Cheese (my favorite), or jam of your choice.
If you make this Easy Belyashi Recipe - Pirozhki please share a picture with me on Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram or Pinterest. Tag with #valyastasteofhome. I'd love to see your creations! 🙂
Easy Belyashi Recipe - Pirozhki
Ingredients
- 1 cup 225ml – water
- 1 cup 225 ml – milk
- 1 tbsp. 15 ml – sugar
- 1 tbsp. 15 ml – dry active yeast
- 2 large – eggs
- ¼ cup 55 g – sour cream
- ½ stick 4 tbsp. or 60 ml – butter (melted)
- 1 tsp. 5 ml – salt
- 5 cups 600 g – all-purpose flour
- Extra Light Olive Oil for frying Belyashi
- Meat Filling for Belyashi:
- 1 lb. 454 g – pork
- 1 lb. 454 g – turkey breast
- 1 small onion
- 2 extra large – garlic clove
- 1 large – egg
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Combine milk and water. Heat in microwave for 45 sec, or on the top stove until barely warm. Add sugar and dry yeast. Mix until sugar dissolves and set it a warm environment to proof, for 15 minutes.
- Add eggs, salt, sour cream and mix everything together with the dough hook attachment (or hand whisker) on medium speed. Add melted butter and mix again.
- Add 1 cup of flour, mix on low, and then ½ cup at a time after that until all flour is incorporated.
- The dough should be thin (starchy) and sticky, unlike for pirozhki baked in the oven.
- Cover the dough in the mixer bowl with a clean kitchen towel and let it rise for an hour.
- Filling Instructions:
- While the dough is rising, make the meat filling (or filling of your choice). Rinse and grind meat. Add egg, shredded garlic, onion, salt, and pepper to taste. Mix everything together with a hand mixer on low until combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready for use.
- Assembly Instructions:
- The dough should triple in size. Scrape the sides of the mixer with a silicone spatula to deflate the bubbles. Dip your finger in oil and pinch off chunks about ½ cup in size. Flatten each chunk of dough with your hands, place some filling on each dough pancake, bring the surround edges together and pinch to seal in the filling.
- Pinch the edges together tightly so they don't come apart at the seams, especially when deep frying. Dip your hands in oil again if necessary and shape the Belyashi into an oval shape.
- Frying Instructions:
- Pour half a small saucepan of oil. Heat the oil to 300F. Place as many Belyashi as will fit on the surface without overlay. Fry Belyashi for about 2 min on each side or until golden brown.
- Place fried Belyashi onto a paper towel to soak in excess oil. Repeat the same steps with the rest of the dough and filling. Form a few Belyashis at a time, while others are frying. Do not make all Belyashi at once then fry them, because they will rise too much by the time they make it in the oil, and will be very airy inside once fried. Not pretty! 🙂
- Cool Belyashi for about 15 minutes and enjoy!
Oh, lah, lah! 😛
Elena says
Valya this reminds me of my childhood, my mama is the best cook. She made amazing Pirozhki, and this recipe is exactly like hers. Thank you so much
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
You are more than welcome Elena! I'm so glad to hear you liked the recipe! 🙂
Irina says
I love this this recipe so easy and doesn't take much time my kids are picky eaters but they loved Belashi and also husband approved thank you will be making these today with left over mashed potatoes
Valya of Valya's Taste of Home says
I am so happy to hear that! My family loves it as well. They can be pretty addicting, lol. Thank you for the amazing review! 🙂
Yasmine says
Hello!
The recipe looks divine. However, is there a way to mix dough without the use of a dough mixer?
Thank you!
www.valyastasteofhome.com says
Absolutely! Use your hands! We've made them during kid's camp and hand mixed it in a large bowl. Works as well. Enjoy! They are truly amazing little gems. ?
Katie says
Hi valya, I don't have a stand up mixer for the dough, should I use my bread maker or mix it by hand?
valya'stasteofhome.com says
You can do it either way. Bread maker will mix the dough better. I hope this helps.
Linda L. says
I am of Ukrainian descent as well, but have never tried these. One perogie erecipe I absolutely love is with a sauerkraut filling my Mom used to make. Cook sauerkraut , rinse and add fried onions to it along with salt and pepper. Fill perogies with the filling and boil as usual (serving with sour cream and fried onions). Yummm!! My ssster and I used to fight over these, freshly cooked, fried or even cold from the fridge!! Anyhow, can this filling be used for these? Also would like to try a potato / cottage cheese filling, if that would work.
Thanks for this recipe. Will let you know when I try it.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Hi Linda. I know, perogis are one of our family favorites too, no matter what filling you use.
That should be fine. I look forward to hearing back from you. Thanks for your comment 🙂
Olya says
I've made these a couple of times already, and I love this dough! Its so easy to work with, tastes amazing! I've made meat ones, potatoe and bacon, and cabbage(my favorite?) Thank you Valechka!
valya'stasteofhome.com says
I'm glad to hear that! And so happy you love the dough! Thank you very much for an awesome review!!! I shared the picture of belyashi you shared with me on Instagram, because they looked so good you can almost eat the screen 😉
Lainy says
Made these last night and OMG such an addict!!! I couldn't stop!! thank you for this recipe, I made them with left over mashed potato ( added some fried onions w/mushrooms) and was soooo good.... but ohh soo my bad for my waist 🙂 lol (good thing we don't eat these everyday) :):)
valya'stasteofhome.com says
I know what you mean. I make them once in a while. I would rather have 2 of these than a donut from the store. I'm glad you like the recipe, and thank you for your comment 🙂
Tzivia says
Wow mmmm vala sooooo gorg gotta make these one day I was about 5 or 6 when I first tried these it was @ a Jewish holiday gathering the holiday of shavout feast of weeks and wow let's just say I was hooked I actually begged my mom to make these lol maybe it was the soft dough that did it cuz mind u darlin I was such a very fussy eater thanx lots for posting have a really gr8 weekend cheers
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Thank yo Dear. Let me know how they turn out for you. You have a blessed weekend as well 🙂
Tanya says
Your Belyashi are so beautiful and look very yummy! Have you tried baking with this recipe? My body has hard time digesting fat, so if I can avoid frying that will be great. Thank you!
valya'stasteofhome.com says
I didn't bake it before, but will definitely try. I'll add a note at the bottom of the post after trying it. Thanks Tanya 😉
Anya says
Thanks for great receptor. How do you do filling with cottage cheese? Thank you.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
It depends how many belyashi with cheese you are going to make. Mix same amount of cottage and farmers cheese together and then add sugar to taste. Mix again and it's done. That simple! I hope it was helpful.
Olya says
Valechka these look so delicious!!! Drooling.... definitely going to try your version of it! Oh btw your instructions for the doughdough under pictures #2 and #4 are the same. 🙂
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Thank you very much Olechka! They are truly delicious and can be pretty addicting ?. Thanks for catching the error, it would help to have more sleep lately.