Latvian Pīrāgi Recipe
This dish is known by various names, with some used to specify the different fillings and others used interchangeably. In Latvian, pīrāgi translates to "pie." The version filled with bacon is called speķa pīrāgi, where speķa means ham or bacon. Pīrāgi can also be referred to as pīrādziņi, and speķa pīrāgi is sometimes known as speķrauši.
Ingredients
For the dough
- 500 ml Whole milk
- 125 ml Cream
- 100 g Sugar
- 4 tsp Dry yeast
- 125 g Butter (cubed)
- 125 g Sour cream
- 1 Egg (lightly whisked)
- 1 kg White flour
- 1 tbsp Salt
For the filling
- 500 g Thick bacon
- 1 Onion (small)
- Salt and pepper – to taste
- 1 Egg
Instructions
- Pour the milk and cream in a saucepan and add the sugar.
- Heat the mixture until it becomes lukewarm. Do not let the milk simmer or boil.
- In a large bowl, pour the milk mixture and add cubed butter, sour cream and the whisked egg, combine well.
- Add the yeast, sifted flour, salt and mix until all is combined well to create the dough.
- Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and does not stick to the hands or the bowl (add a bit more flour if necessary).
- Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and place in a warm spot for an hour or until the dough has doubled in size (about 1 to 1 1/2 hours). To speed up the process, place the bowl in a sink filled with hot water.
- Finely cut the bacon and the onion, add a teaspoon of finely ground pepper and combine well.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Line a baking tray with baking paper.
- Whisk the remaining egg in a small bowl and set aside.
- Sprinkle some flour on the rolling surface and place the dough on it.
- Cut it in quarters and work on each quarter at a time by rolling it until the dough is 5 mm thick.
- Cut out circles about 6 cm in diameter (use a mug) from the rolled dough.
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