Pirozhki

Ingredients

For dough:

• 1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water, more if needed
• 1/3 cup vegetable (or canola) oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups all-purpose flour

For meat filling:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 2-3 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1/2 cup minced yellow onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cooked rice

• Oil for frying

Directions

1. To make the dough, in a large mixing bowl, combine warm water and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes, or until the yeast begins to foam.
2. Add the vegetable oil, salt, and flour and mix until smooth. (If dough is too dry, add more water a little bit at a time until dough smooth and soft. Also, if the dough is too wet, add a little bit more flour.)
3. Coat the dough with a little bit of vegetable oil and place it back in the bowl. Cover with damp kitchen towel and place it in a warm place to rise, for about 30-60 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Heat olive oil in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium high heat.
5. Add the meat, garlic, onion and salt. Cook the meat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon, until cooked through. Transfer into a large bowl and mix it with rice.
6. Once the dough is doubled in size, take it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a smooth ball, 1-2 minutes. Lightly flatten the dough ball into a disk, and divide into 12 equal parts as you slice a pizza. Roll each piece into a smooth ball.
7. To make the hand pies, take a piece of dough and flatten it with your hands. Put the filling in the center and fold the dough in half. Pinch the edges of the dough to seal, creating a half moon. Then gently flatten it between your palms, making sure the sealed crimps are on flat side.
8. Once all the hand pies are formed, heat 1-inch oil in a large skillet, or dutch oven. (Tip: You don't need a thermometer to fry these savory hand pies. Simply drop the end of a wooden spoon into heated oil, and if it's bubbling up around the wood, that means the oil is ready for frying!)
9. To cook the hand pies, drop 4 hand pies in the hot oil and cook until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Flip and cook until it's nice and golden. Remove into a bowl, lined with paper towel to absorb excess oil. Continue with the remaining batch.
10. Serve piroshki warm or at room temperature.
11. Yields 12 pirozhkis.

Baked pirozhki: After forming the pirozhkis, let them rise in warm spot on a parchment-lined baking sheet for about 30 minutes. Brush with egg wash and bake at 350F for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.