Pirog (links=yes; , , ; ; ; , pīrāgi; , pyragai; ; ): is a baked case of dough with either sweet or savory filling.[Darra Goldstein. A Taste of Russia: A Cookbook of Russian Hospitality, "Russian pies", p.54. Russian Information Service, 1999, ][Вильям Похлебкин. Кулинарный словарь, Пироги. Москва: Центрполиграф, 2007, (William Pokhlyobkin. The Culinary Dictionary, "Pirogi". Moscow: Centrpoligraph, 2007; in Russian)] The dish is common in Eastern European cuisines.
The name is derived from the ancient Proto-Slavic word pir, meaning "banquet" or "festivity".[Вильям Похлебкин. Большая энциклопедия кулинарного искусства, Пироги русские. Москва: Центрполиграф, 2010, (William Pokhlyobkin. The Great Encyclopedia of Culinary Art, "Russian pirogi". Moscow: Centrpoligraph, 2010; in Russian)][Max Vasmer. Russisches etymologisches Wörterbuch. Winter. Heidelberg, 1953–1958 (in German); Пирог (in Russian)][ Etymological dictionary of Ukrainian language (2003), vol 4. (in Ukrainian), Naukova Dumka, Kyiv. (4)] The Russian plural, pirogi (with the stress on the last syllable), should not be confused with pierogi (stress on "ro" in Polish and English) in Polish cuisine, which are dumplings similar to Russian cuisine pelmeni or varenyky.
Shape
Pirogi come in different shapes and forms: they are often oblong with tapering ends, but can also be circular or rectangular.
[Stechishin, S. (1989). Traditional Ukrainian Cookery. Trident Press, Canada. ] They can be closed or open-faced with no crust on top.
Dough
Pirogi are usually made from yeast-
Leavened dough,
which distinguishes them from
and
pastry common in other cuisines.
In former times, the dough for Russian pirogi was made predominantly of
rye flour. Later it was mixed with
wheat flour. Nowadays, mainly wheat flour is used.
There are also variants made from shortcrust, flaky pastry or puff pastry. In East-Slavic languages, pirog is a generic term which denotes virtually any kind of pie, pastry, or cake. Тhus, Karelian pastry (known as Karelian pirog in Russian), Jewish knish or charlotte cake are considered types of pirog in Eastern Europe.
Filling
The filling for pirogi may be sweet and contain
tvorog or
cottage cheese, fruits like
,
or various
berry, as well as honey, nuts or
. Savory versions may consist of meat, fish, mushrooms, cabbage, rice,
buckwheat groats, or potato. In Ukrainian and
Russian cuisine cuisines, pirogi (as well as their smaller versions called
pirozhki) with a savory filling are traditionally served as an accompaniment with clear
borscht,
broth, or consommé.
Types
Certain types of pirog are known by different names:
-
Coulibiac, a middle-size Russian pirog of oblong shape with a complex filling;
-
Kurnik ("chicken pirog"), also known as wedding pirog or tsar pirog, a dome-shaped savory Russian pirog, usually filled with chicken, eggs, onions, kasha or rice, and other optional components;
[Вильям Похлебкин. Кулинарный словарь, Курник. Москва: Центрполиграф, 2007, (William Pokhlyobkin. The Culinary Dictionary, "Kurnik". Moscow: Centrpoligraph, 2007)][Леонид Зданович. Кулинарный словарь, Курник. Москва: Вече, 2001, (Leonid Zdanovich. Culinary dictionary, "Kurnik". Moscow: Veche, 2001; in Russian)]
-
Poppy seed roll and nut roll, popular throughout Central Europe and Eastern Europe, are considered types of pirog in Eastern Europe;
-
Pirozhki (Russian diminutive, literally "small pirogi") or pyrizhky (Ukrainian), individual-sized that can be eaten with one hand;
-
Rasstegai ("unbuttoned pirog"), a type of Russian pirog with a hole in the top;
[Леонид Зданович. Кулинарный словарь, Расстегай. Москва: Вече, 2001, (Leonid Zdanovich. Culinary dictionary, "Rasstegai". Moscow: Veche, 2001; in Russian)]
-
Shanga, a small or medium-size open-faced circular savory pirog endemic to and widespread in Ural and Siberia;
[Max Vasmer. Russisches etymologisches Wörterbuch. Winter. Heidelberg, 1953–1958 (in German); Шаньга (in Russian)] "Shanga is a bakery product made of unleavened or yeast, wheat, rye or rye-wheat dough. The dish is of Finno-Ugric origin, spread from Karelia to the Ob, including the Russian North. It is part of the national cuisines: Komi cuisine, Mari cuisine, North Russian cuisine, Udmurt cuisine."
-
Vatrushka, a small sweet pirog, popular in all Eastern Slavic cuisines, formed as a ring of dough with quark in the middle.
[Леонид Зданович. Кулинарный словарь, Ватрушка. Москва: Вече, 2001, (Leonid Zdanovich. Culinary dictionary, "Vatrushka". Moscow: Veche, 2001; in Russian)]
Similar West Slavs pastries, such as Czech and Slovak Kolach, and Polish Kołacz, usually have sweet fillings.
Koulibiak au saumon.jpg|Coulibiac
Karjalanpiirakka-20060227.jpg|Karelian pasty
Kurnik.jpg|Kurnik
Bejgli1.jpg|poppy seed and nut roll
Piroshki.JPG|Pirozhki
Rasstegai s gorbushei.jpg|Rasstegai
Shangi.JPG|Shangi
Vatrushka.jpg|Vatrushka
See also
