Latvian Piragi

Handed down through generations, this recipe for Latvian piragi may not be considered easy, but the savory onion and bacon filling inside homemade rolls makes it all worth it.

• Preparation Time: 45 mins
• Cooking Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins
• Calories: 170 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter, softened
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1 ½ cups warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 pound bacon, chopped
• cooking spray
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 5 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 medium onions, diced

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Combine 2 cups flour, sugar, salt, and yeast for dough in a large mixing bowl; stir until well combined. Cut in butter with a fork until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Add warm water and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.

Step 2

Add eggs and 1 cup flour; mix until combined and thick. Stir in remaining 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the dough comes together.

Step 3

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Cover with a damp towel and let rest for 20 minutes. Punch dough down, cover, and let rise until double in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Step 4

While the dough is rising, cook bacon for filling in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until browned and crisp, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain and discard all but 1 tablespoon grease from the pan.

Step 5

Add onion to the bacon grease and sauté over medium heat until softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Combine onion and bacon in a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and set aside until dough has risen.

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray two large baking pans with cooking spray. Place beaten eggs in a bowl.

Step 7

Divide dough into 3 pieces, then divide each piece into about 12 balls. Roll each ball to pizza dough-thickness. Use a small spoon to scoop some onion-bacon mixture into the center. Brush egg wash on the dough around the filling, then fold the edges/corners up and over the filling. Place piragi in the prepared baking pans with the seams facing down, and brush the tops with egg wash.

Step 8

Place one pan in the preheated oven and bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with more egg wash. Return to the oven and bake until golden brown, about 20 more minutes.

Step 9

Repeat to bake remaining piragi.