Baked Potato Pirozhki
Soft, buttery yeasted buns filled with mashed potato and golden onion. Home baking the whole family loves.
Pirozhki came from Russian cooking and have long been at home in Uzbek kitchens too. They are perfect for packed lunches and journeys, and especially good with hot tea.
The secret to soft dough
- Milk and butter make the dough tender.
- Don’t add too much flour; a slightly sticky dough is fine.
- Prove twice: first the dough, then the shaped buns.
Nutrition
Per serving (≈ 80 g). Approximate values.
How to make it
4 steps · start a timer right inside a step
Yeasted dough
Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm milk, then add the egg, melted butter and salt. Gradually work in the flour to make a soft dough. Cover and leave somewhere warm for an hour.
Potato filling
Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender and mash. Fry the onion until golden and stir into the mash with the dill, salt and pepper. Let the filling cool completely.
Shape
Divide the dough into 16 and flatten each piece into a disc. Add a tablespoon of filling, pinch the edges together and shape into an oval. Place seam-side down on a tray and prove for 20 minutes.
Bake
Brush with beaten egg and bake at 190°C for 18–20 minutes until golden. Cover with a tea towel for ten minutes after baking to keep them soft.
Cook’s tips
- 1Hot filling tears the dough, so cool it completely.
- 2Keep the milk below 37°C or the yeast will die.
- 3Pirozhki freeze well and reheat nicely.
- 4Brush the shaped pirozhki with an egg wash mixed with a teaspoon of water right before baking to achieve a uniform, golden-brown crust. Ensure you prick the tops with a fork once or twice to allow steam to escape so the dough does not burst in the oven.
Serving & storage: Serve these warm alongside a bowl of cold sour cream or a light cucumber salad. They stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. To refresh, reheat them in a 180°C oven for about ten minutes until the crust is crisp again.
Other fillings
Instead of potato, try braised cabbage, minced meat, rice with egg or spiced apple. The dough stays the same; only the filling changes.
The takeaway
Homemade pirozhki are a simple pleasure made with patience. Bake a big batch, because they won’t last the day.
