Piragi Recipe

 

3/31/2024

Dear Future Me, this piragi recipe still works, but also note that we replaced Buttermilk with sour cream (impromptu thing)....and as Bob Ross taught us, it was a happy accident and it worked out great. We also tried doubling recipe and using KitchenAid but turned out dough on our massive cutting board to mix in the rest of the dough. Makes approximately 90. Also, cardamom works, 1tsp for double batch. (Anyone reading this who isn't me...just ignore that, it's me keeping up with new dough possibilities)

(2025 iteration of recipe starts here)

1 lb bacon to 1 medium onion ratio - (keep at 3 lbs) chop bacon.  Best practice is to freeze portions of the strips...makes it easier. Dice the onions...prepare to cry.  When you sautee the bacon onion mixture...you want to cook it so the onion softens but the fat on bacon is not fully rendered. Add black pepper liberally. But salt really depends on how salty the bacon is. Do not drain anything. Put in a longer flatter container so all the juices distribute evenly.  Best practice is to let cool overnight.

For the dough...

1/4 c warm water

1tsp + 1 TBL sugar

1 c whole milk, scalded

1/4 c butter, softened (not melted)

1 tsp salt

2 egg

1/2 c sour cream

4 1/2 c flour (this increased due to extra egg/sour cream...but not a clue how much. Keep track next time...and next time happened and still didnt keep track...oops. possibly 766g of flour.  Kept track on 6/20/25)

1 packet yeast...or 2 tsp instant yeast (depends on which one you prefer)

Tangzhoung ingredients (I do as extra not as part of original ingredients) 

50g milk

50g water 

20g flour

Use Tabgzhoung ingredients: In small saucepan, heat ingredients.  Smush the flour lumps.  As it heats it will thicken so don't stop stirring.  Once it makes lil peaks, remove from heat and let cool. 

Use original ingredients for below:

Proof your yeast with 1/4 cup water and 1 tsp sugar.

Scald your milk. 

Wisk eggs, sour cream, cooled milk, salt, and tbsp sugar.  Combine proofed yeast mixture and butter with paddle. Put on dough hook and mix in 4 cups of flour. Once it is mixed, add tangzhoung and cardamon. Keep adding flour by half cup or less until it starts to form a ball.  Turn out on board.  Keep adding flour until you can handle the dough. You don't what to add too much flour, you do want your dough sticky but able to be handled. 

Put small amount of oil in large bowl. Put dough in bowl and turn it until oil is covering it. Cover and let rise for 1 to 1.5 hours.  It will have grown a lot.  Punch down...then you are ready to start making your piragi.

Forming the pirgai is kind of an art.  My method.  I weigh out a 26 to 30g ball. Flatten with hand. Use half tablespoon of bacon mixture. Put in center.  Fold dough around mixture. Pinch edges together...trust me this sounds easy but it's way trickier than you realize.  Once you seal and form your piragi into an oblong pastry, place seal down on a baking sheet.  Piragi can be close, but dont overcrowd pan.  When you get a pan done, make an egg wash (1 beaten egg not part of original ingredients) and brush it on the piragi.  And poke piragi with a fork. 

I cook mine at 500 for 10 min. You want to hear that bacon sizzle.  Once they are brown on top, take out and put on cooling racks.