Recipe: Latvian Bacon Buns (P ragi)

Latvian Bacon Buns (P r gi)
http://www.angelfire.com/al2/LatvianStuff/Piragi.html

These buns can be used as appetizers, as part of a light lunch (with, say, a cup of bouillon), or as part of a smorgasbord. They are best straight from the oven, but can be frozen and re-heated. They are absolutely delicious!

Meat Filling

1 finely chopped onion
1/2 - 3/4 lb. bacon, finely diced (or 1/2 lb. bacon and 1/4 lb. ham or pork jowl)
salt and pepper to taste
(Filling can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the fridge)

Dough Ingredients

3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 pkg. (about 1 Tbsp.) dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water plus 1 tsp. of sugar
1 beaten egg
3 1/2 cps. white flour
1 - 2 Tbsp. sour cream (optional)

Glaze Ingredients:

1 egg, beaten
1 - 2 tsp. milk or water
1/4 tsp. sugar (optional)

Preparing the Filling:

The filling should be prepared ahead of time and allowed to cool. Can be prepared the day before and kept cool in the fridge.

Dice/chop all filling ingredients and saute in frying pan over low heat until about half the fat has melted (15 - 30 minutes). Drain off all but about a tablespoon of the melted fat. Season with lots of pepper and salt, and allow to cool.

Making the Dough:

Heat the milk until a thin skin starts to form. Remove from heat, and add in butter, salt, and sugar. Let cool until lukewarm.

Put the yeast in the quarter cup (1/4 cup) of warm water and 1 tsp sugar. Wait until it starts to bubble up. Add it to the (lukewarm) milk mixture. Also add the beaten egg.

To this add about 1 1/2 cups flour and beat until smooth. Now add the rest of the flour about a half cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. If desired, add the sour cream after all the flour has been added. Sour cream makes for a lighter dough. This should be a medium soft dough.

Cover the bowl with a damp cloth or towel and let the dough "rest" for 10 minutes. Meanwhile prepare a floured surface (board or clean counter) for kneading. After 10 minutes, turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead lightly for 5 - 6 minutes until the dough is smooth, but still somewhat soft.

Grease a large bowl. Put dough into bowl and turn it until all surfaces have been greased. Cover bowl with damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (30 - 90 minutes, depending on the warmth of the environment).

Making the buns (p ragi)

When the dough has risen, punch it down. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare a floured surface for making piragi. Take meat filling out of fridge. Mix together all the glaze ingredients.

Cut off a large piece of the dough. Roll it into a rope about 1 1/2 - 2 inches in diameter. Cut it into segments about 1 1 /2 inches thick. Make each bit into a small pancake, oval or square. On one half of it, put a teaspoonful (or a little less) of the filling. Fold the dough over, pinching the edges together. For a better seal use beaten egg white around the dough and seal with well floured fingers. Make sure there are no openings left, or the filling will leak out with the pinched seam underneath.

Rising and Baking

Place the finished buns on parchment paper lined cookie sheet, with the pinched seams underneath. Let rise in a warm place, until almost doubled in bulk. Brush them with the glaze. Bake at 400 degrees F for 13 - 18 minutes, depending on their size, and how brown you want them to look. Golden brown is good. Let cool a bit and enjoy!