Pirozhski (meat rolls)
Bake dough 1/2 for Pirozhski, 1/2 for vertuta (jelly roll) and frosted sweet rolls.
4 cups sifted flour
1/2 pound butter
3 eggs, well beaten
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup milk, cooled after boiling
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 envelope dry yeast dissolved in 2 tablespoons warm water
Cut butter and flour with pastry cutter. Mix rest of ingredients and sprinkle over flour mixture, using fork to moisten all flour, pie fashion. Cover tightly; cool in refrigerator orvernight, otherwise dough is too soft to handle.
Stuffing:
1 pound lamb or beef
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic minced
2 teaspoon dried mint flakes crushed
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 cup minced toasted almonds
2 tablespoon shortening
1/2 cup chicken broth
In heavy skillet over high heat, brown meat in shortening; drain fat away. Pour broth over meat; add seasoning, cover and simmer 5 minutes; cool. Roll half basic dough into 1/4 inch thick. Cut 3 1/2 inch rounds; use a drinking glass. Put 1 teaspoon stuffing onto each round. Press edges tightly to seal; roll lightly between palms of hands to look like short frankfurters. Put pinched side down on slightly greased and floured cookie sheet; cover and let rise double. Paint with diluted yolk of egg and bake 5 minutes in 425 degree oven, then 15 minutes at 350 degrees.