Piroske sa Sirom/Feta Cheese Piroske

There’s nothing like waking up to a mountain of Piroske on a warm summer morning back home. Warm, soft, and bursting with feta cheese, these are one of our favorite breakfasts. I remember when my brother and I would go back home for summer break and would grab one of these off the table and run out of the house to go play with outside friends. Sitting outside, oily hands and all. I vividly remember how yellow the dough was due to the orange yolks from the freshest eggs. While these are easy to make, I find that things usually taste better when someone else makes them for you. 😉

It’s amazing how food has a way of teleporting us back in time. Times I now find I took for granted. Waking up to breakfast already prepared, no obligations or responsibilities except for playing outside, and a simpler life. This is one of those memorable dishes that I default to when I’m feeling nostalgic. It’s such a simple recipe that comes together easily and with just a little patience you’re able to have a really delicious meal or snack. These are also a staple at fairs throughout the Balkans and are often found sold right alongside the Pljeskavice and grilled meats.

These are best enjoyed hot, especially paired with a cup of yogurt or milk. If I’m being honest, I don’t need anything else to complete the meal. Just give me a couple of these with some yogurt and I’ll be set for the day. If you don’t know by now, I LOVE bread and all things carbs so the Bakery section of this blog is definitely my favorite.

While feta cheese is the traditional way to prepare these, you can stuff the dough with anything you’d like. I’ve made these with ham and cheese as well and it’s a great alternative if you’d like a more substantial meal. You can also make these any size you’d like. If you prefer larger Piroske, this recipe will yield 6-8 depending on how thin you roll out the dough. I usually double the recipe as I’m usually preparing these for a crowd.

I hope you give these a try very soon. You can’t go wrong I promise. I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t love these.

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Piroske sa Sirom/Feta Cheese Piroske

Recipe by The Balkan HostessCuisine: Balkan, Serbian

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Fried dough stuffed with feta cheese resulting in a pillow of deliciousness!

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200 ml) milk, warm

• 1 tablespoon instant dry yeast

• 1 teaspoon (5 g) sugar

• 2 eggs

• 2 egg yolks

• 3-4 cups (400-450 g) all purpose flour

• Pinch salt

• 2 cups (200-250g) crumbled feta cheese

• Oil for frying

Directions

• In a cup or small bowl combine the warm milk, instant dry yeast, and sugar. Stir, cover, and place in a warm place to proof.
• In a large mixing bowl add 1 egg and 2 egg yolks. Whisk to combine and when the yeast has proofed, add it to the egg. Stir and add a generous pinch of salt. Next, add in the flour.
• Combine the flour with the liquid and knead the dough until uniform and not sticking to the sides of the bowl. Cover and place in a warm place to double in size.
• Once the dough has doubled in size, transfer it to a lightly floured surface, knead briefly, and roll out into a rectangle. Cut the dough into 6 rectangular pieces.
• In a small bowl combine the feta cheese and remaining egg. Set aside.
• Take one square of dough and roll it out again in each direction lightly. Place a spoonful of the filling mixture along the longer side of the dough, fold in the sides toward the middle and roll the dough into a log. Turn the dough around and pinch the ends closed. Tuck in the sides and pinch closed. This prevents it from opening when fried. Set aside and repeat with the remaining dough.
• Once all the Piroske are assembled, cover with a clean kitchen cloth and allow to rise for 15-20 minutes.
• Pour oil into a small pot, enough to go halfway up the dough. The amount will depend on the pot but ensure the pot is 1/3 of the way full with oil. Heat the oil on medium heat.
• Test if the oil is ready by placing a wooden spoon in the oil. If bubbles form around it, the oil is ready for frying. Drop in 1 or 2 Piroske into the oil. Do not crowd the pot. Keep in mind the Piroske will expand as they fry.
• Fry the Piroske until deeply golden brown and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain of any excess oil.
• These are best enjoyed hot/warm.