Russian Pirozhki Buns with Beef and Cheddar
Inspired by techniques from King Arthur Baking.
Soft, cheese-flecked yeasted dough is wrapped around a savoury beef and cheddar filling and baked to golden, pillowy buns.
Always check the labels of the products you use.
Method
- 1
Dough. Mix and knead the flour, cheddar, soured cream, butter, water, eggs, sugar, salt and yeast to a soft, smooth dough, then cover in an oiled bowl and leave to rise for about 90 minutes until puffy.
- 2
Filling. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium, soften the onion, then add the garlic and beef mince and cook for 5-10 minutes, breaking it up, until browned and reaching 71°C; season, stir in the parsley, cool fully, then mix in the grated cheddar.
- 3
Shape. Divide the dough into 16 pieces of about 55 g, roll into balls on lined trays, cover and rest for 15 minutes.
- 4
Fill. Flatten each ball to a 12 cm round, brush with egg wash, spoon 2 tbsp filling into the centre, draw the edges up over it and pinch firmly shut.
- 5
Prove. Place the buns seam down on the trays, cover and leave to rise for 1 hour until puffy.
- 6
Bake. Heat the oven to 200°C, brush the buns with the remaining egg wash and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden.
- 7
Serve. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving, and refrigerate any leftovers.

Cat tip
Pinch the seams firmly shut and keep them facing down so the filling stays sealed in while proving and baking.
More from the cat
- Let the shaped buns rise until visibly puffy before baking, for a light, soft crumb.
Storage
Refrigerate leftovers and eat within a couple of days, warming gently in the oven to refresh before serving. Cool leftovers in a shallow container and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour on a day above 32°C).
Equipment
- stand mixer with dough hook (or large bowl)
- lightly oiled bowl
- frying pan
- wooden spoon
- digital scale
- 2 baking trays lined with baking paper
- pastry brush
- tea towel
- digital thermometer
Nutrition per serving (estimated values)
| Per serving | Amount |
|---|---|
| Energy | 520 kcal |
| Protein | 20.4 g |
| Carbohydrate | 51.9 g |
| of which sugars | 4.4 g |
| of which free sugars | 3.1 g |
| Fat | 25.1 g |
| of which saturates | 12.4 g |
| Fibre | 2.1 g |
| Salt | 1.98 g |
Protein per 100 kcal
3.9 g High Protein needs ≥ 10 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient values
