Meat and potato pie
For as long as I can remember, our family has made large yeast-dough pies filled with meat and potatoes. We called them kurniki. They are simple, filling pies that satisfy even the hungriest appetites. These days I use a different dough that takes less work than a traditional yeast dough.
The hole in the cake is not just for steam to escape. I also use it to test whether the potatoes are ready.
After removing the pie from the oven, I brush it with milk, cover it with a towel and let it stand for about 15 minutes. During this time it will cool down a little, and cutting it becomes much easier.
Soften the margarine. Stir the yeast into the milk and give it a little time to dissolve; there is no need to wait for a foamy layer to form. I use ordinary dry yeast.
Put all the dough ingredients in a mixer bowl and knead on low speed just until the flour is incorporated. This takes very little time. The dough should be soft, light and slightly sticky. Dust it with flour when shaping.
Place the finished dough in the refrigerator. Just in the refrigerator! While we prepare the filling, the dough rests in the refrigerator.
Peel and cut the potatoes into cubes.
We also cut the onion into cubes. There is no need to grind it too much. Quite large.
I leave a little fat on the meat to keep the filling juicy. Cut the meat into cubes.
Mix meat, onions and potatoes in a large bowl. Add vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Mix and set aside.
Turn on the oven to warm up. Take the dough out of the refrigerator and divide it into two parts: larger and smaller.
Roll out the larger piece on a floured work surface to form the base and sides of the pie. Transfer it to a baking tray, leaving the edges hanging over the sides. There is enough fat in the dough that the tray does not need greasing. Add the filling.
Roll out the smaller piece and place it over the filling. Pinch the edges together to seal and make a small hole in the center for steam to escape. I forgot to decorate this pie, but usually cut leaves and flowers from scraps of dough.
Bake on the middle rack at 180-200 degrees for about 1 hour. If the crust is golden before the potatoes are tender, cover the top with foil.