Recipe for Chinese Style Varenky/Pyrizhky

Yeast-Raised Dough for Varenky (Pyrohy) also known as Pyrizhky

            Yeast-raised dough, a favourite of grandma’s day is seldom used by modern Ukrainian commercial kitchens, or by Ukrainian home makers. However, this old-time method has many advantages because yeast gives lightness to the cooked product.

Pyrizhky have become a very “hot” item in Chinese Bakeries where they are known as filled buns.

1 tsp. sugar

¼ cup lukewarm water

2 pkg. dry granulated yeast

1 cup scalded milk

¼ cup butter or shortening

2 eggs beaten

1- ½ tsp. salt

¼ cup sugar4 -½ to 5 cups flour

            Dissolve the sugar in the lukewarm water, sprinkle the yeast over it, and let stand for 10 minutes. To the hot scalded milk, add the butter and cool to lukewarm. Add the eggs, salt, sugar, and yeast. Mix in enough flour to make medium soft dough as for bread. Knead on a floured board until smooth and satiny. Return to the bowl, cover, and let rise until it doubles in bulk. Punch down, knead a few times in the bowl, and let it rise again.

·         Use any favourite filling

·         Cut dough as for regular varenyky

·         To make pyrizhky, place sealed side down on a greased baking sheet, spacing them 1 to 1- ½ inches apart. Cover and let them rise in a warm place until light, for about 1 hour.

·         Brush them with beaten egg diluted with 2 Tbsp of water or milk. Bake, in a moderate oven (375 F.) for 30 to 35 minutes, depending on their size.

                           © Al (Alex Alexander) D Girvan 1995 All rights reserved.