* Piroshki

makes 20 (you can make them smaller and get more)
Preperation: 20 minutes + resting
Cooking: 40 minutes (dough and filling)

1&1/4 cups milk
125g butter
2 tablespoons sugar
3 cups plain flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 sachet dry yeast
1 egg yolk
beaten egg, to glaze

Filling
You can have any filling you want. I usually have either cheese or minced meat but you can also make it with chicken or anything you like

The cheese filling
250 gms Feta cheese (I used low salt crumbly white cheese called NOR which is a local cheese here)
1 tsp salt (if your cheese is low on salt
1 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
2 tblsp olive oil
2 tblsp dry mint
Mix all together and leave aside till dough is ready


or the dough
1- Heat the milk, butter and sugar in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionaly, until lukewarm and the butter has melted
2- Sift the flour with the salt into a large mixing bowl. Stir in yeast. Make a well in the centre and pour in the milk mixture and the egg yolk. Stir with a wooden spoon, gradually incorporating the flour. Beat the dough for 3 minutes until smooth and elastic (you can beat by hand or a machine)
3- Sprinkle a little flour on top, cover with plastic wrap then a folded tea towel and leave in a warm place until doubled (about one hour)
4- Preheat the oven to very hot 230C. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, knead lightly and pinch off a tablespoon-sized piece. Flatten it slightly into a thick disc and place a tablespoon of filling on top. fold the edges over to enclose filling and shape into a ball. Repeat till you finish the dough
5- Place on a lightly greased baking tray, cover the tray loosely with a plastic wrap and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes. Brush the surface with beaten egg and bake for 10-15 minutes until golden and cooked