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My kids knew them as “hot pockets.” Miners in Michigan knew them as “pasties.” Immigrants in St. Paul know them as “piroshky.” To me, I guess they are calzones either with red sauce or white. Whatever you call them, they’re versatile, easy to make, and good.
In 2014, Meridian published one of our articles that explained how to make them. We’ll link you to that article for instructions for making them and give you some new recipes today.
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What You’ll Need
You’ll need a dough press. Yes, you can trace circles with a saucer and knife and seal the edges with the tines of a fork but easier and more foolproof with a press.
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You’ll need either pie crust dough or pizza dough depending on the type you with to make.
A mix is a lot quicker and easier. Our pie crust mix makes a terrific crust and you just add water and mix for a minute.
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How to Make Them
The image to the right gives you an idea but there are more details in the following article:
Easy Calzones Methods and Recipes
Tips for Making Perfect Piroshkies
For the filling, simple combinations usually work best.
Don’t overfill your calzone, less is truly better. If it is too full it’s likely to leak.
Calzones take longer to cook than pizza and require a lower temperature in order to crisp the crust and to penetrate the filling.
Recipes
Potato Leek Piroshki
You make these piroshki in three steps: make the dough, cook the filling, and then assemble the piroshki. It’s easiest to do with a dough press but you can build it manually. If so, be sure to seal the edges well with the tines of a fork.
For the dough
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
Directions
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar into a bowl. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes and add it to the flour. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry knife until it is the consistency of oatmeal.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sour cream together until it is smooth.
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir into a mass. Remove the dough ball to a floured counter and knead for a few minutes to make a smooth dough. Cover the dough ball and chill it in the refrigerator for an hour.
For the filling
Ingredients
4 new red potatoes the size of a baseball, peeled and diced in 1 inch pieces
2 leeks cleaned and cut in small pieces
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chicken broth or water
3 medium carrots, peeled and grated
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Cook the potatoes in water until they are not quite tender. Drain them and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Add the leeks and cook for two minutes. Add the broth or water and grated carrots and continue to simmer for a few more minutes. Cook just until vegetables are tender-crisp. Add the cooked potatoes to the saucepan. Add the basil.
Place the flour in a small bowl. Add a little of the milk and mix to make a paste. Gradually stir in the rest of the milk and stir until smooth. Add the milk mixture to the saucepan and cook until the sauce has thickened and is bubbly. Remove the pan from the stove. Salt and pepper to taste.
To assemble and bake the piroshki
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator to keep it cold. Roll the dough out on a floured counter to a thickness of 1/4-inch. Cut the dough into twelve 6-inch rounds. Place a round in the floured dough press. Place three tablespoons of the filling on the round. Close the dough press firmly to seal the edges of the pastry. Continue with the rest of the rounds and filling.
Place the completed piroshki on a greased baking sheet. Poke a few holes in the piroshki with the tines of a fork to vent the piroshki. Brush with a beaten egg.
Bake for 20 minutes or until they are golden brown.
Baker’s note: You can make piroshki without a dough press—a dough press just makes it easier. Place your filling on one-half of the round, fold the other half over until the edges meet, and press the edges together with the tines of a fork. Press firmly to make sure that you have a good seal.
Ham and Cheese Piroshki
This is a classic piroshki recipe. You make these in three steps: make the dough, cook the filling, and then assemble the piroshki. It’s easiest to do with a dough press but you can build it manually. If so, be sure to seal the edges well with the tines of a fork.
For the dough
Ingredients
3 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup cold butter
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
Directions
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar into a bowl. Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes and add it to the flour. Cut the butter into the flour with a pastry knife until it is the consistency of oatmeal.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sour cream together until it is smooth.
Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir into a mass. Remove the dough ball to a floured counter and knead for a few minutes to make a smooth dough. Cover the dough ball and chill it in the refrigerator for an hour.
For the filling
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups cubed ham, 1 inch pieces
1 1/2 cups cubed cheddar cheese
6 teaspoons mustard
To assemble and bake the piroshki
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Divide the dough in half and return one half to the refrigerator to keep it cold. Roll the dough out on a floured counter to a thickness of 1/4-inch. Cut the dough into twelve 6-inch rounds. Place a round in the floured dough press.
Spread 1/2 teaspoon mustard onto each piroshki round.
Place 2 tablespoons of ham and 2 tablespoons of cheese onto a piroshki round.
With a pastry brush, spread water on the edges of the round to help seal it. Close the dough press firmly to seal the edges of the pastry. Continue with the rest of the rounds and filling. Place the piroshki on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Poke a few holes in the piroshki with the tines of a fork to vent the piroshki. Brush with beaten egg. Bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.
Baker’s note: You can make piroshki without a dough press—a dough press just makes it easier. Place your filling on one-half of the round, fold the other half over until the edges meet, and press the edges together with the tines of a fork. Press firmly to make sure that you have a good seal.
About the Author
Dennis Weaver has burned food from Point Barrow, Alaska, to Miami, Florida. He is the founder of The Prepared Pantry in Rigby, Idaho and the author of “How to Bake: The Art and Science of Baking” available as an E-book or as a Kindle book on Amazon. Dennis lives in Rigby, Idaho, with his wife, Merri Ann. They have five wonderful children and six beautiful granddaughters.