Pirozhki
Encyclopedia
Pirozhki sometimes transliterated as piroshki (or pyrizhky from ), is a generic word for individual-sized baked or fried buns stuffed with a variety of fillings. The stress in pirozhki is properly placed on the last syllable: pʲiroʂˈkʲi. Pirozhok is the diminutive
form of the Russian cognate
pirog
, which refers to a full-sized pie
. The Russian plural of this word, pirogi , is not to be confused with pierogi
(stress on "o" in English) in other East European cuisines, which are similar to the Russian
pelmeni
or Ukrainian
vareniki
.
A common variety of pirozhki are baked stuffed buns made from yeast dough and often glazed with egg to produce the common golden colour. They may contain sweet-based fillings such as stewed or fresh fruit (apples, cherries, apricots, chopped lemon, etc), jam, or cottage cheese; a vegetable filling (mashed potatoes, mushrooms, onions and egg, cabbage); meat or fish; an oatmeal filling mixed with meat or giblets
. The buns may be plain and stuffed with the filling, or else be made in a free-form style with strips of dough decoratively encasing the filling.
Potatoes among American crops
became very popular when the vegetable was brought and adopted to the Eurasian climate. Before then, the ingredient was not available as it took more time to acclimatize to continental
regions like Russia and Ukraine. Before then, the ingredients would contain more vegetables and fruits, as well as duck, goose and rabbit meat, uncommon today.
pīrāgi (or speķa rauši, literally, "bacon tarts") are baked crescent-shaped yeast rolls traditionally filled with bacon and onion. More generally, pīrāgi refers to turnovers, filled pies, or tarts: kartupeļu pīrāgi (with potatoes), sēņu pīrāgi (with mushrooms), and kāpostu pīrāgi (with cabbage), as well as dessert versions filled with apples, rhubarb, or cottage cheese.
Estonians too have this tradition. It is not similar at all to pelmeni, and is not reminiscent of a dumpling. The Estonian pirukas is fairly small in size and is always baked in dough. The Estonian version, with regional variations in respect to fillings, compared to the Latvians, is referred to as "pirukad" ("pirukas" in the singular). Pirukad are sometimes accompanied by bouillon. Many recipes exist, with meat, cabbage, carrots, rice, egg and other fillings and filling mixtures also being used. As a rule, the best ones are homemade. The Latvian bacon and onion version is known to Estonians, but is not as common. Here too, one can encounter sweet fillings, although savory "pirukad" predominate.
(karjalanpiirakat/karjalanpiirakka in the South Karelia
n dialect of Finnish
and karjalanpiiraat/karjalanpiiras in the North Karelia
n dialect) are a differently shaped pie popular in both Karelia
and Finland
. Compared to the Baltic pirukas and pīrāgi, the Karelian pastries are open-faced.
, and it is made throughout the country by families at home.
.
Diminutive
In language structure, a diminutive, or diminutive form , is a formation of a word used to convey a slight degree of the root meaning, smallness of the object or quality named, encapsulation, intimacy, or endearment...
form of the Russian cognate
Cognate
In linguistics, cognates are words that have a common etymological origin. This learned term derives from the Latin cognatus . Cognates within the same language are called doublets. Strictly speaking, loanwords from another language are usually not meant by the term, e.g...
pirog
Pyrih
thumb|right|A fish pyrih .Pirog, or Pyrih is an Eastern European pie that can have either a sweet or savoury filling.- Pastry :...
, which refers to a full-sized pie
Pie
A pie is a baked dish which is usually made of a pastry dough casing that covers or completely contains a filling of various sweet or savoury ingredients....
. The Russian plural of this word, pirogi , is not to be confused with pierogi
Pierogi
Pierogi are dumplings of unleavened dough - first boiled, then they are baked or fried usually in butter with onions - traditionally stuffed with potato filling, sauerkraut, ground meat, cheese, or fruit...
(stress on "o" in English) in other East European cuisines, which are similar to the Russian
Russian cuisine
Russian cuisine is diverse, as Russia is the largest country in the world. Russian cuisine derives its varied character from the vast and multi-cultural expanse of Russia. Its foundations were laid by the peasant food of the rural population in an often harsh climate, with a combination of...
pelmeni
Pelmeni
Pelmeni are dumplings consisting of a filling wrapped in thin, unleavened dough that originated in Siberia and is a dish of Russian cuisine. Pelmeni are common in Russia and have similar names in other languages: , pyal’meni; pilmän; , pel’meni; ; .- Ingredients :The dough is made from flour and...
or Ukrainian
Ukrainian cuisine
Ukrainian cuisine has significant diversity, historical traditions. "Cuisine - Flavors and Colors of Ukrainian Culture."] . Accessed July 2011. Common foods used include meats, vegetables, mushrooms, fruits, berries and herbs...
vareniki
Vareniki
thumb|right|Varenyks with [[curd]]Varenyky are a kind of stuffed dumpling associated with Ukrainian cuisine. Variants are also found in Moldovan, Mennonite, Belarusian, Russian, Lithuanian, and Polish cooking. They are believed to originate from Chinese and Siberian influences, although sometimes...
.
A common variety of pirozhki are baked stuffed buns made from yeast dough and often glazed with egg to produce the common golden colour. They may contain sweet-based fillings such as stewed or fresh fruit (apples, cherries, apricots, chopped lemon, etc), jam, or cottage cheese; a vegetable filling (mashed potatoes, mushrooms, onions and egg, cabbage); meat or fish; an oatmeal filling mixed with meat or giblets
Giblets
Giblets is a culinary term for the edible offal of a fowl, typically including the heart, gizzard, liver, and other visceral organs.A whole bird from a butcher is often packaged with the giblets...
. The buns may be plain and stuffed with the filling, or else be made in a free-form style with strips of dough decoratively encasing the filling.
Potatoes among American crops
New World Crops
The phrase "New World Crops" is usually used to describe crops that were native to North and South America before 1492 and not found anywhere else in the world at that time...
became very popular when the vegetable was brought and adopted to the Eurasian climate. Before then, the ingredient was not available as it took more time to acclimatize to continental
Continental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
regions like Russia and Ukraine. Before then, the ingredients would contain more vegetables and fruits, as well as duck, goose and rabbit meat, uncommon today.
The Balkans
The Greek variety piroski is popular in parts of Greece influenced by eastern cuisine and in most big cities, where they are sold as a type of fast food. The Greek piroski come deep-fried with many different stuffings.The Baltic region
In LatviaCuisine of Latvia
Latvian cuisine typically consists of agricultural products, with meat featuring in most main meal dishes. Fish is commonly consumed due to Latvia's location on the east coast of the Baltic Sea....
pīrāgi (or speķa rauši, literally, "bacon tarts") are baked crescent-shaped yeast rolls traditionally filled with bacon and onion. More generally, pīrāgi refers to turnovers, filled pies, or tarts: kartupeļu pīrāgi (with potatoes), sēņu pīrāgi (with mushrooms), and kāpostu pīrāgi (with cabbage), as well as dessert versions filled with apples, rhubarb, or cottage cheese.
Estonians too have this tradition. It is not similar at all to pelmeni, and is not reminiscent of a dumpling. The Estonian pirukas is fairly small in size and is always baked in dough. The Estonian version, with regional variations in respect to fillings, compared to the Latvians, is referred to as "pirukad" ("pirukas" in the singular). Pirukad are sometimes accompanied by bouillon. Many recipes exist, with meat, cabbage, carrots, rice, egg and other fillings and filling mixtures also being used. As a rule, the best ones are homemade. The Latvian bacon and onion version is known to Estonians, but is not as common. Here too, one can encounter sweet fillings, although savory "pirukad" predominate.
Finland
Karelian pastiesKarelian pasties
Karelian pasties or Karelian pies are traditional pasties from the region of Karelia...
(karjalanpiirakat/karjalanpiirakka in the South Karelia
South Karelia
South Karelia is a region of Finland. It borders to the regions of Kymenlaakso, Southern Savonia, North Karelia and to Russia. The term "South Karelia" might also be used to refer to the southern parts of the entire Karelia — the Region of South Karelia is termed "South" because it is the...
n dialect of Finnish
Finnish language
Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...
and karjalanpiiraat/karjalanpiiras in the North Karelia
North Karelia
North Karelia is a region in eastern Finland. It borders to the regions of Kainuu, Northern Savonia, Southern Savonia, South Karelia and to Russia.The city of Joensuu is the centre of the North Karelia region.- Municipalities :...
n dialect) are a differently shaped pie popular in both Karelia
Karelia
Karelia , the land of the Karelian peoples, is an area in Northern Europe of historical significance for Finland, Russia, and Sweden...
and Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Compared to the Baltic pirukas and pīrāgi, the Karelian pastries are open-faced.
Central Asia
Pirozhki are common as fast food on the streets of the Central Asian countries such as Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, etc., where they were introduced by the Russians. They are also made by many Russians and non-Russians at home.East Asia
Pirozhki is also very common as fast food in MongoliaMongolian cuisine
Mongolian cuisine refers to the local culinary traditions of Mongolia and Mongolian styled dishes. The extreme continental climate has affected the traditional diet, so the Mongolian cuisine primarily consists of dairy products, meat, and animal fats. Use of vegetables and spices is limited...
, and it is made throughout the country by families at home.
Southwest Asia and the Caucus Mountians
The Russian variant of Pirozkhi is a common fast food in Iran and ArmeniaArmenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
.
See also
- PierogiPierogiPierogi are dumplings of unleavened dough - first boiled, then they are baked or fried usually in butter with onions - traditionally stuffed with potato filling, sauerkraut, ground meat, cheese, or fruit...
- Empanadas
- Samosas
- PogácsaPogácsaPogácsa is a type of savory scone in Hungarian cuisine. It is also popularly eaten in nearby Slovakia, where it is known as pagáč. The Hungarian word derives ultimately from the Latin panis focacius, i.e. bread baked on the hearth or fireplace , via the Italian focaccia and, more directly, south...
- BougatsaBougatsaBougatsa, , is a Greek breakfast pastry consisting of custard, cheese, or minced meat filling between layers of phyllo.- Origin :...
- PogačaPogacaPogačice is a type of puff pastry. Pogača, Poğaça, Pogácsa or Pogacha is a type of pastry eaten in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Republic of Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro, Hungary, Greece and Turkey with variations...