COTTAGE CHEESE AND DILL PIROSHKI

For the dough: 1 1/2 cups lukewarm whole

milk

1 tablespoon sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons active

dry yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons)

butter, melted

1 large egg

4 cups all-purpose flour,

plus more for dusting For the cheese filling: 3 pounds, or 2 (24-ounce) cartons, large-curd cottage cheese 2 tablespoons finely

chopped fresh dill 1 large egg plus 1 large egg

yolk

2 green onions, diced 2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black

pepper

For frying: 2 cups canola or grapeseed oil

To make the yeast dough, whisk the milk and sugar together in a large bowl for 1 minute. Sprinkle the dry yeast over the top and allow it to proof for 5 minutes. Next, whisk in the salt, butter and egg until smooth. Begin mixing in the flour in 1/2-cup increments, until a soft dough forms. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and knead the dough for 4 to 5 minutes, until it is very smooth and uniform. Place the dough into a large bowl, cover it with a towel and allow it to proof for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

Meanwhile, line a large, fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth and add the cottage cheese. Rinse the cheese with cold water until just the curds remain. Wring out as much water as possible, until the cheese curds are crumbly. Place the cheese into a large bowl and add the dill, egg and egg yolk, green onions, salt and black pepper. Mix all the ingredients together.

Once the dough has proofed, assemble and fry the piroshki. Heat the oil in a deep saute pan over medium heat until the oil reaches 350 degrees.

Dust a work surface with flour. Divide the dough into 16 equal pieces. For each piroshok, roll the dough into a 5-inch circle using a rolling pin. Add 1/3 cup of the filling to the center of the circle, forming a half moon. Starting from the middle, bring the edges of the dough up over the filling and pinch it at the top, then continue pinching along the edges until secure.

Assemble and fry the piroshki in small batches, 3 to 4 piroshki at a time. Fry for about 5 minutes, rotating the piroshki every minute to brown them evenly. Transfer the piroshki to a wire rack lined with paper towels to absorb the excess oil. They are best enjoyed warm.

Serves 16.

Per piroshok: 273 calories (percent of calories from fat, 37), 11 grams protein, 30 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 12 grams fat (trace saturated fat), 49 milligrams cholesterol, 688 milligrams sodium.

CONTRIBUTED BY TATYANA NESTERUK Cottage Cheese and Dill Piroshki from “Beyond Borscht” by Tatyana Nesteruk (Page Street Publishing Co., 2020).