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Elesh
Elesh (элеш): small Tatar closed pies of chicken and potato baked until golden
At Tatar weddings in the villages east of Kazan, elesh come to the table early, little pleated pies about the size of a fist, each filled with chopped chicken and potato and baked until the tops glow. The meat goes in raw with onion and butter, so it cooks in its own juices inside the sealed pastry and stays moist; a spoon of broth is added through a tiny vent halfway through. The pastry is rich with butter and sour cream and goes soft under a cloth after baking. A common mistake is leaving the chicken in big chunks; cut it small or the potato is done long before the meat. Chef's tip: use thigh rather than breast, it stays juicy through the long bake.
- Total time
- 115 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dough
- 16 oz plain flour
- 4 oz unsalted buttermelted and cooled
- 5 ½ oz sour cream
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
For the filling
- 1 ⅛ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighscut into 1 cm pieces
- 12 ½ oz potatoescut into 7 mm dice
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- ¾ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 1 oz cold unsalted butterdiced
To finish
- ½ cup hot chicken stock
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Mix the 16 oz plain flour, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp baking powder, then knead in the 4 oz unsalted butter, 5 ½ oz sour cream, 1 egg and ¼ cup milk for 5 minutes until soft and smooth. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
35 minStep 2: Toss the 1 ⅛ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, 12 ½ oz potatoes and 1 onion with the 1 tsp salt and ¾ tsp black pepper. Wash your hands, board and knife well after handling raw chicken and keep the filling in the fridge.
10 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan). Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll each into a 12 cm circle.
10 minStep 4: Put 2 tablespoons of filling and a cube of 1 oz cold unsalted butter in the centre of each. Gather the edge up in small pleats over the top and pinch closed, leaving a hole the size of a pencil.
15 minStep 5: Bake on a lined tray for 30 minutes, until the pastry is set and lightly coloured.
30 minStep 6: Pour about 2 teaspoons of the hot ½ cup hot chicken stock into each vent and bake for 30–35 minutes more, until golden and a thermometer in the centre of the filling reads 165°F.
35 minStep 7: Brush the tops with the melted ⅔ oz melted butter for brushing, cover with a cloth for 5 minutes and serve warm.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 49 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does elesh take?
- About 115 minutes in total: 45 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of unsalted butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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