PIROSHKI

Poppy seeds may be used to garnish these delicious Russian turnovers. Poppy seeds are mainly used in Central European, Middle Eastern and Indian dishes and add color to these pastries. I use cream cheese in place of the traditional sour cream.

Meat Filling

    2 pounds lean ground beef
    2 cups chopped yellow onions
    1 1/2 cups water
    1 tablespoon beef base
    1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
    1/4 teaspoon seasoning salt
    3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    1/4 cup cold water

Cream Cheese Pastry

    4 cups all-purpose flour
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    2 (8-ounce) packages cold Neufchâtel cheese
    1 cup cold butter which is workable
    1/2 cup ice cold water

Egg Wash and Topping

    2 large egg yolks
    2 tablespoons water
    Poppy seeds


1.  Meat filling: In a 5-quart nonstick sauté pan, brown the beef
     and drain the fat. Stir in the onions, water, beef base,
     Worcestershire sauce, parsley and seasoning salt; cook 10
     minutes. Mix the 3 tablespoons flour with the 1/4 cup water
     and add a little of the hot liquid from the beef. Stir back into
     the meat. Cook about 10 more minutes or until the liquid has
     evaporated but the meat is coated in a thick sauce. Cool.

2.  Preheat the oven to 400 .

3.  Pastry: Measure the flour and salt into a large bowl. Use your
     fingertips to rub the Neufchâtel cheese and butter into
     the flour. Sprinkle with the 1/2 cup ice water and form a ball.

4.  Flour a breadboard. Cut the dough into 32 pieces, shape little balls.
     Roll each ball out to a round, 5 inches in diameter.

5.  Once you have rolled out each round, place a tablespoon of meat
     filling on half of each round. Moisten lower edge pastry with water.
     Fold the unfilled half up over the filled half. Seal with fork dipped
     in flour and set on a baking sheet.

6.  Mix the egg yolk and water, then brush on pastries with a
     pastry brush. Sprinkle pastries lightly with poppy seeds.

7.  Bake in the preheated oven 8-12 minutes. Serve warm.

     Hint 1: A favorite way to make pastries, is to place the filling
     in the middle of the pastry round and wet the outer edge with water.
     Pinch edges together in a number of places to form a daisy shape
     when you look from the top. The filling should be completely enclosed.
     Pinch middle edges of pastry together to ensure a complete form
     once cooked.

     Hint 2: These pastries are best when served with gravy. Melt 3/4 cup
     butter in a 5-quart sauté pan. Add 3/4 cup flour and use a whisk to stir
     quickly. Add 6 cups of water; whisk in well. Whisk in 2 tablespoons beef
     base and 1 tablespoon Gravymaster browning sauce. Season with pepper.

     Makes 32 meat pastries