Shared by Trina and Jessica Quinn
Shared by Trina and Jessica Quinn
Kapusta Piroshki (Eastern European Cabbage Hand Pies)
Yield: 6 ServingsTime: 2 hours, plus proofing time and cooling time
Kapusta Piroshki (Eastern European Cabbage Hand Pies)
Yield: 6 ServingsTime: 2 hours, plus proofing time and cooling timeFamily Journey
Cork, Ireland, Ukraine, and LatviaPhelps, NY and Brighton Beach, Brooklyn
Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
Catch Jessica and Trina Quinn at The Grandmas Tent at The Great Nosh where they will share their secrets for the perfect piroshki. Get your tickets!
When Jessica first introduced her now wife Trina to hefty, deep fried piroshki — large dough pockets filled with meat, vegetables, eggs, or even fruit — in Brighton Beach, Trina asked, somewhat aggressively: “Why have you been keeping this from me?”
The duo makes their own piroshki as part of their Queer food project Dacha 46, which celebrates Latvian-Ukrainian Jewish heritage. Over the years, they have tried out different fillings and interpretations of piroshki. At one pop-up, they tried to Americanize piroshki, filling them with bacon, eggs, and cheese for a breakfast piroshki. They were delicious and incredibly popular, but they started to receive out of the box suggestions like pepperoni pizza piroshki.
They agreed, “this isn't the message we wanted to send,” Trina shares. It strayed too far from tradition for their comfort. They decided to stick primarily to egg and scallion filling and kapusta, which translates to cabbage in a number of Eastern European languages, but can also be used to refer to dishes or recipes with cabbage and ingredients like carrots for this piroshki filling.
The piroshki are wonderful fresh just a few minutes out of the frying oil (though be careful not to burn your mouth), but they can also be packed up for a picnic — at the beach, if you’re lucky.
Cooking Notes: Sealing the dough well is the most important part of assembly. Take your time pinching the seams tightly. While frying, the piroshki will puff up and relax once removed from the oil.
Read more about Trina and Jessica’s story in “How the Duo Behind Dacha 46 Is Reclaiming Eastern European Jewish Food Traditions”
Ingredients
For the filling
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 1 small head green cabbage, shredded
- 2 medium carrots, shredded
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- ½-1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup water
For the dough
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1½ teaspoon active dry yeast
- 1½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
For Frying
- About 2 quarts neutral oil
Preparation
Step 1
Prepare the filling: In a large sauté pan or pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat and add the sliced onion. Sauté until translucent and slightly softened, about 10 minutes.
Step 2
Add the shredded carrots, shredded cabbage, salt, and pepper, and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften and caramelize, about 10-12 minutes.
Step 3
Stir in the tomato paste and ¼ cup water. Cover and allow the mixture to cook down and braise until the cabbage is deeply caramelized and soft but not mushy, about 7-10 minutes. Uncover the pan to stir occasionally.
Step 4
Taste and adjust seasoning. The mixture should be quite peppery. Transfer the filling to a bowl and let it cool completely before using.
Step 5
Prepare the dough: Gently heat the milk in a microwave or a small pot over medium heat until warm to the touch (105°F).
Step 6
In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the yeast and sugar. Pour the warm milk over the yeast mixture, whisk just to combine. Allow it to bloom for about 10-15 minutes until the mixture becomes slightly frothy.
Step 7
Once the yeast has bloomed, attach the dough hook, and add the egg, salt, flour, and melted butter. Mix on low speed for 2-3 minutes, until a shaggy dough forms, then increase to high speed and knead for 7-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
Step 8
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to rise for about 30 minutes, until slightly puffed.
Step 9
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and punch out the air. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions, about 120 grams each. Form them into balls, cover with plastic wrap and allow them to rest for 5-10 minutes.
Step 10
Fill a medium heavy-bottom pot with oil halfway (about 3-inches deep) and begin heating it over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking, 350°F.
Step 11
Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, roll each ball into a circle, about 8 inches wide and ¼-inch thick. Place a hefty ⅓ cup of the cabbage filling in the center of each dough circle. Seal tightly by pinching the edges together into an oval shape.
Step 12
To check if the oil is hot enough, insert the end of a wooden spoon into the oil — if it bubbles gently around the wood, the oil is ready. If it bubbles vigorously, it's too hot. Working in batches, carefully place the prepared piroshki into the hot oil seam-side down and fry until golden brown, flipping halfway. About 3-5 minutes per side. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot.
Step 13
Remove the piroshki from the oil using a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel lined plate or wire rack. Let piroshki cool for a few minutes and serve.
