Oh man I love foods like this. There are so many variations of dough filled with stuff in Eastern European food. These are the kind my father said his grandmother made, so I am trying to carry on that tradition. I can’t wait to serve them at Christmas Eve, that is when they are usually served. On Christmas Eve in Poland you don’t eat meat and you have a big dinner in the evening, so these are perfect to munch on while you wait for the cooks to finish the meal. They are so good fresh from the oven.
Pasztet actually means pâté, so I will have to try them with pâté next time!
Paszteciki
1 cup milk
1 packet of instant dry yeast (7 g or 2 1/4 tsp)
1 tbsp sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
6 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 egg yolks, save the whites
300 g mushrooms – all types but the more flavorful the better
300 g sauerkraut
2 tbsp butter
– First heat the milk a bit so that it is warm, about 100° F is good. Sprinkle in the yeast and sugar and stir it up a little bit. Let it sit for 5 minutes so that it blooms.
– In a bowl or in a mixer stir the flour with salt. Add the milk once it has bloomed. stir or mix it well. Add the egg yolks, mix well. Add the butter pieces a little at a time. If you don’t have a mixer, you will use your hands now. Knead the dough to incorporate everything and then knead it for about 10 minutes, it will be wet, try not to add too much more flour. Cover it and let it rise in a warm place for about an hour until it is doubled (it might take more than an hour).
– To prepare the mushroom and sauerkraut filling first clean the mushrooms and grate them on a grater so you have really small shredded pieces. Strain the sauerkraut in a strainer and press to release more liquid from it. Heat a skillet and add the oil. cook the mushrooms until they are soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add the sauerkraut and cook for about 15 minutes on medium-low, you don’t want it to brown too much. Let the mixture cool before doing the next part.
– Pre-heat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
– Once the dough is ready, flour your surface a bit and roll out the dough into a big rectangle, about 9 inches. Cut the rectangle into three long pieces. fill each piece with some of the filling right down the middle and not too close to the sides. Fold the dough over the filling from both sides and press to seal it.
– Cut each long piece into smaller pieces about 2 inches long. Place each piece fold side down on the baking sheet.
– Lightly beat your left over egg whites and brush on the top of each piece.
– Bake for about 25-30 minutes.
– They will last about 2-3 days, after that they dry out a bit.
Enjoy!
Babushka Training 