Classic Belyashi
6 servings
90 minutes
Belyashi are a traditional dish of Russian cuisine that has firmly established itself in the hearts of gourmets due to its juiciness and rich flavor. The airy yeast dough infused with the aromas of fresh meat and onions creates a perfect combination of softness and a crispy crust. Historically, belyashi appeared as street food – hot, fragrant pastries with meat filling that quickly satisfied hunger. They are ideal for family lunches as well as festive feasts. Belyashi are most often served hot; they are eaten by hand, enjoying the appetizing contrast between the tender dough and juicy filling. The secret to their unique taste lies in the properly prepared filling, where juiciness is achieved by adding milk or water. Ready belyashi are best placed on napkins to remove excess oil and maintain their perfect texture.
1
Prepare the starter: mix dry yeast, sugar, 200 ml of warm water well and place it in a warm place for 15 minutes.
- Dry yeast: 10 g
- Sugar: 1 tablespoon
- Water: 250 ml
2
Prepare the dough: in a bowl or pot combine 1 teaspoon heaping salt, vegetable oil, milk and the remaining water, gradually add sifted flour while mixing well. When half of the flour is added, pour in the starter mixture, mix and continue adding flour. When about a cup of flour remains, place the dough on the table and knead it with the remaining flour by hand. When it becomes uniform and almost non-sticky, form a ball and place it in a container with high walls, cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm place to rise for an hour (it will double in size).
- Salt: 2 teaspoons
- Refined oil: 2 tablespoons
- Milk: 250 ml
- Water: 250 ml
- Wheat flour: 800 g
3
Make the minced meat: grind pork and onion in a meat grinder, add 1 heaping teaspoon of salt and pepper. To keep the minced meat juicy, add a few tablespoons of milk or water until the meat stops absorbing liquid — it may take up to 7-10 tablespoons.
- Pork: 500 g
- Onion: 2 heads
- Salt: 2 teaspoons
- Ground black pepper: 1 tablespoon
- Milk: 250 ml
- Water: 250 ml
4
After an hour, take out the soft dough, knead it well, shape it into a sausage and cut out pieces about 7x3 cm in size. From each piece, flatten it into a circle about 15 cm in diameter, place a tablespoon of filling in the center, pinch and gather the edges of the dough to the center, leaving a small hole in the middle. Flatten the pastry to make it flat and proceed to make the next one.
5
Pour a lot of vegetable oil into the pan (it should reach halfway up the meat pie), heat on low heat (medium or slightly below medium), place the meat pies hole side down, fry this side covered for 5–7 minutes, then flip the meat pies and fry the other side uncovered for 5–7 minutes.
- Refined oil: 2 tablespoons
6
Place the fried pastries on napkins to absorb excess fat.