Recipe: Piroshki

This recipe has been in my family since the 70’s. My dad got a copy of it from his Russian instructor when he was at DLI (Defense Languages Institute). It was Americanized by his instructor, so it’s not true Russian piroshki. But it’s still tasty, and great comfort food.

Ingredients:
– 2 pie crusts (get the Pillsbury stuff in the red box)
– 1 pound, super-lean ground beef (at least 93{3b4d110c5d1596d2297e6430d163d306168bc3d03da137601e3ed8beb4b12205} lean)
– 2 cups of shredded cabbage
– 1 cup of chopped onion
– 1 cup of thinly sliced carrots
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1 package of brown gravy mix (get the McCormick’s stuff)
– 2 teaspoons of summer savory
– butter
– 1 egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

1. In a large skillet, melt 4-6 tablespoons of butter. Sauté the carrots. Once those are close to done, mix in the cabbage and onions. Sauté until the cabbage is limp. Remove all and set aside in a bowl.

2. In same skillet, brown the ground beef. DO NOT DRAIN.

3. Once the browning is done, add 1 cup of HOT water. Then add the brown gravy mix and salt. Stir thoroughly until the mix is no longer powdery.

4. Add savory. Stir.

5. Lower heat to simmer.

6. Put the bottom half of the pie crust in a metal tin. Mix the meat and the veggies in a large bowl, then put in lower pie crust.

7. Put upper pie crust on. Crimp the edges, and make a cross-cut slit in the center with a sharp knife. Put egg in bowl, whip. Brush egg on top of pie crust.

8. Put pie tin on cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes, until the top of the pie crust is golden-brown. Remove. Let cool for a bit. Devour.