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Pirog s kapustoi
Cabbage pie
Pirog s kapustoi (пирог с капустой): yeasted pie filled with braised cabbage, onion and egg
RussianSunday baking in a Russian village house often meant a long rectangular pie like this, cut into thick slabs and carried warm to the table with a bowl of soup or a glass of kefir. Soft milk dough wraps white cabbage braised slowly in butter with onion until sweet and pale gold, folded through chopped hard-boiled egg and dill. Leftover slices are just as good cold the next day, which is why it ends up in lunch boxes and on train journeys. Where most people go wrong is a wet filling that steams the crust soggy from inside: cook the cabbage until the pan is dry and let it cool completely. Chef's tip: brush the hot crust with butter and cover it with a clean tea towel for ten minutes, so the top softens the way Russian grandmothers like it.
- Total time
- 145 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
For the dough
- 16 oz plain flour
- 1 cup whole milklukewarm
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 ¾ oz unsalted buttersoftened
- 1 tsp salt
For the filling
- 3 eggs
- 1 ⅜ oz unsalted butter
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 2 ¼ lb white cabbagefinely shredded
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ oz fresh dillchopped
To finish
- 1 eggbeaten
- ½ oz unsalted buttermelted
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Stir the ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast and 1 tbsp caster sugar into the warm 1 cup whole milk and leave for 10 minutes, until foamy.
10 minStep 2: Mix the 16 oz plain flour and 1 tsp salt in a bowl, add the yeasty milk, the 1 egg and the 1 ¾ oz unsalted butter and knead for 8 minutes into a smooth, soft dough. Cover and leave to rise for 1 hour, until doubled.
68 minStep 3: Meanwhile cook the 3 eggs in boiling water for 10 minutes, cool them in cold water, then peel and chop.
12 minStep 4: Melt the 1 ⅜ oz unsalted butter in a wide pan over a medium heat and fry the 2 onions for 6 minutes, until soft and golden.
6 minStep 5: Add the 2 ¼ lb white cabbage and 1 tsp salt, cover and let it wilt for 10 minutes. Uncover and cook for 20 minutes more, stirring often, until the cabbage is tender, golden in places and the pan is dry.
30 minStep 6: Season with the ½ tsp black pepper, spread on a tray and cool completely, then fold in the chopped eggs and the ½ oz fresh dill.
20 minStep 7: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan). Take 60% of the dough and roll it into a 35 × 25 cm rectangle, lay it on a lined tray and spread the filling over it, leaving a 2 cm border.
10 minStep 8: Roll out the rest of the dough, lay it over the top and pinch the edges tightly to seal. Cut a small steam hole in the middle and leave to prove for 20 minutes.
20 minStep 9: Brush with the 1 egg and bake for 35 minutes, until deep golden and the base sounds hollow when tapped.
35 minStep 10: Brush the hot pie with the ½ oz unsalted butter, cover with a clean tea towel for 10 minutes, then slice.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 4 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pirog s kapustoi take?
- About 145 minutes in total: 75 minutes to prepare and 70 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- 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 whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
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