Excellent stuff. As a brit one of my favourite things about going to latvia is the Pīrāgi (apart from the alus) I really must try this for my latvian girlfriend over here they look ļoti garšīgi 😊
Hello from Melbourne, Australia. Thank you soooo much for your recipe. I absolutely love Piragi, I am an Italian ( who loves to cook) married to a Latvian and my dear father-in-law (who is no longer with us) taught me how to make them, I’m the only family member who bothered to learn and he was so proud of me. I have made your recipe many times already and they are so light, fluffy and delicious, my husband wants me to make them every week. Thank you again. Ciao for now😊
Really nice video! And great tip about adding the Chinese-European thing for the dough. I have made pīrāgi with my grandma since childhood and a thing was that they have to be half moon shape, so we were using thin water or wine glass. But I guess shape doesn't change the taste :)
Thank you for your video - I wanted to make Latvian Piragi (or "Speckkuchen" as we call it) and your recipe saved the day. I made some minor adjustments, and had to convert the amounts to work for north american measurement. We enjoyed our Piragi very much and we will be using your recipe as a "base" from now on. Thank you!
I’m so pleased to hear this, thank you. Yes I’ve heard from some other American viewers that they had to change it to work with what they had. You can of course put more filling in than I did if that’s how you like it.
I was born in Latvia during WW2 and left shortly after so my knowledge of the metric system is very limited. Would have been so nice to have the recipe in terms I would understand. I love this delightful little snack!
Hi. Metric can be converted into imperial very easily, cups don’t work as it’s a volume measurement. I know lots of other American Latvians who have made them successfully using this recipe :)
I've done this in the past, but it doesn't scale well. Rolling out each individual ball is the chokepoint. I roll out the dough evenly into a long sheet and cut it down to about 5" wide strips. The filling goes in evenly-spaced lumps down the center and the sheet is folded over the filling. Each piragi is cut out from the sheet using a cutting ring and quickly sealed by hand, just to be sure and then, into the oven! This speeds up the process considerably and also makes it practical to make much larger batches of dough.
My late partner's old dad was Latvian & his mum would make these from time to time. She also had two hungry sons, so they were wolfed almost as soon as they came out of the oven.
I just had to make these today and I am so glad I did! Thank you for all of the work you put in perfecting this recipe because it really is perfect! The Tangzhong makes a huge improvement in the dough. I was worried about "blow out" of the filling because it has always been a problem with our Piragi recipe in the past, but this dough is VERY forgiving and we had ZERO problems with leakage. I followed the recipe exactly but may alter the filling based on what I deem to be inferior American bacon. I can't wait to make this recipe again to show everyone how to execute perfect Piragi! For American cooks, I have a few baking tips: I used Smithfield homestyle bacon (1 package) and about 200 g of onion. My Latvian-born grandmother started using a Spam and bacon mixture to make up for the lack of flavor in the bacon. Next time I will replace a bit of the bacon with grandma Mimi's Spam hack and see how it goes If you have a gas oven, place an 8x8 or 9x9 pan of water on the lowest rack to add moisture while baking. Set the over to 380 degrees F. and bake for 12-15 minutes on the second to highest rack. Also, make sure to grease and flour your pan (I used left over bacon grease and flour). If any other cooks from the states have favorite bacon or bacon/ham mixtures, please let me know!
Wow thanks for this. It’s great to share how you made it better or hacks to make it work. Bacon is pretty easy to make in your home, I’ve got a video on that too :)
We use ham and bacon in equal measurements. We dice the onions finely but dice the ham and bacon so finely it is almost a paste. I like your tip about using the left over bacon grease to grease the pans. Thank you.
I'm 75 and my dad was Latvian, a non-combattant survivor of WWI, and a Bronze Star veteran of WWII. Piragi were the coin of the realm at our house around Christmas. My dad's family was large and they were all concentrated around us, so when my mom decided to throw a Christmas buffet, it was a big deal. We (mom, dad, sis and meself) made the priagi in several batches over weeks. They were kept in large speckled roasters in the back kitchen/ laundry. Once, during a Christmas gathering, I, age 9, caught my Uncle Bill in the back room stuffing piragi into his pockets. I just looked at him. He said ' you ain't seen nuttin.' From that moment, I was bonded with my rough, Latvian, strange, profound uncle. As to the fidelity of the recipe, this will be very good, although there are nuances. Doesn't matter: this is a really great video. PJT
The ''Tangzhong'' made a difference in how long they stay soft. Only question I have, if I'd double the recipe, would I need to double the ''Tangzhong '' too or use the same amount? Thanks
I did use bread flour but am pretty sure that all purpose would work too. Bread flour is relatively new in Latvia so they’ve been made with plain flour for eons. Much easier with a dough hook though.
Please don’t be offended but Tangzhong is not chinese it is japanese it is in Milk Bread .. in addition grams are for dry ingredients and liguid is not grams . So i have to say i have made your recipe and it is fantastic . !! thank you I have gotten my official latvian approval from my lv friends !
I would suggest using a round cookie cutter or an upside down glass (thin-walled) to punch out dough circles. It is much easier to dose a dough that way - and you can improve your meat/dough ratio (at least it is our way of doing it). Typical fillings: bacon with onions, grilled fermented cabbage or on a rarer occasion - mushrooms.
I had considered doing that but then I will lose the exact weight measurement for the dough. The dough/filling ratio thing I don’t have a problem with because it’s so light you really don’t notice what looks like thick dough because it’s full of airy bubbles. Having said that I have become intrigued as to how much filling you could stuff in there. I will make some more and try out.
We used to do it this way as well, but this method relies on uniformly rolled dough thickness (something I am not at all good at). Weighing each dough ball and using a level 1/2 Tbsp. measuring spoon of filling ensured that each Piragi was more consistent than any I have made in the past with a weight of between 24-25.8 grams each. 🙂
The good thing is that you can use just about anything you like for filling - sauerkraut (precooked) and mushrooms were already mentioned, but also mashed potatoes, cheese, boiled egg and spring onions, boiled rice. For a sweet tooth my grandmother used to make ones with jelly marmalade candy inside and we, as kids, nibbled the candy out and secretly put the dough back in the tray. If you make rolls instead of buns - cinnamon spread and poppy seed spread go very nice.
@@BalticHomesteaders That's exactly what I mean. Latvia is so much more than Riga or Jurmala alone. Your pīrādi look way better than ones he gets in central market. Put him to work. ;)
Sooooooooo, I attempted to make this. Got it all together and forgot the butter. Put the dough back in the mixer with the butter. I stuffed them and had them ready to go into the oven. Then I realized I forgot the yeast. So I just threw the stuffed buns back in the mixer and sprinkled in the yeast. After the dough raised I shaped them into buns and baked them. Since I am not Latvian, I don't think any ancestors are rolling in their grave. I will try to make them correctly the next time. I saw the other video about the amount of stuffing, I think I will go with those conclusions for the next attempt.
Excellent stuff. As a brit one of my favourite things about going to latvia is the Pīrāgi (apart from the alus) I really must try this for my latvian girlfriend over here they look ļoti garšīgi 😊
Hello from Melbourne, Australia. Thank you soooo much for your recipe. I absolutely love Piragi, I am an Italian ( who loves to cook) married to a Latvian and my dear father-in-law (who is no longer with us) taught me how to make them, I’m the only family member who bothered to learn and he was so proud of me. I have made your recipe many times already and they are so light, fluffy and delicious, my husband wants me to make them every week. Thank you again. Ciao for now😊
So pleased to hear that it worked for you and that they are enjoyed :)
A bit different to the recipe my Latvian Oma taught me, but still looks delicious!!
I grew up eating these every holiday season, so I look forward to trying this recipe and sharing it with people here in the US! Thank you!
Really nice video! And great tip about adding the Chinese-European thing for the dough. I have made pīrāgi with my grandma since childhood and a thing was that they have to be half moon shape, so we were using thin water or wine glass. But I guess shape doesn't change the taste :)
Thank you for your video - I wanted to make Latvian Piragi (or "Speckkuchen" as we call it) and your recipe saved the day. I made some minor adjustments, and had to convert the amounts to work for north american measurement. We enjoyed our Piragi very much and we will be using your recipe as a "base" from now on. Thank you!
I’m so pleased to hear this, thank you. Yes I’ve heard from some other American viewers that they had to change it to work with what they had. You can of course put more filling in than I did if that’s how you like it.
I was born in Latvia during WW2 and left shortly after so my knowledge of the metric system is very limited. Would have been so nice to have the recipe in terms I would understand. I love this delightful little snack!
Hi. Metric can be converted into imperial very easily, cups don’t work as it’s a volume measurement. I know lots of other American Latvians who have made them successfully using this recipe :)
I've done this in the past, but it doesn't scale well. Rolling out each individual ball is the chokepoint. I roll out the dough evenly into a long sheet and cut it down to about 5" wide strips. The filling goes in evenly-spaced lumps down the center and the sheet is folded over the filling. Each piragi is cut out from the sheet using a cutting ring and quickly sealed by hand, just to be sure and then, into the oven! This speeds up the process considerably and also makes it practical to make much larger batches of dough.
Great, thanks for sharing. Doing a vid on techniques for mass production isn’t a bad idea :)
My late partner's old dad was Latvian & his mum would make these from time to time. She also had two hungry sons, so they were wolfed almost as soon as they came out of the oven.
Gary they look delicious
I just had to make these today and I am so glad I did! Thank you for all of the work you put in perfecting this recipe because it really is perfect! The Tangzhong makes a huge improvement in the dough. I was worried about "blow out" of the filling because it has always been a problem with our Piragi recipe in the past, but this dough is VERY forgiving and we had ZERO problems with leakage. I followed the recipe exactly but may alter the filling based on what I deem to be inferior American bacon. I can't wait to make this recipe again to show everyone how to execute perfect Piragi!
For American cooks, I have a few baking tips: I used Smithfield homestyle bacon (1 package) and about 200 g of onion. My Latvian-born grandmother started using a Spam and bacon mixture to make up for the lack of flavor in the bacon. Next time I will replace a bit of the bacon with grandma Mimi's Spam hack and see how it goes If you have a gas oven, place an 8x8 or 9x9 pan of water on the lowest rack to add moisture while baking. Set the over to 380 degrees F. and bake for 12-15 minutes on the second to highest rack. Also, make sure to grease and flour your pan (I used left over bacon grease and flour). If any other cooks from the states have favorite bacon or bacon/ham mixtures, please let me know!
Wow thanks for this. It’s great to share how you made it better or hacks to make it work. Bacon is pretty easy to make in your home, I’ve got a video on that too :)
We use ham and bacon in equal measurements. We dice the onions finely but dice the ham and bacon so finely it is almost a paste. I like your tip about using the left over bacon grease to grease the pans. Thank you.
I don't grease the pan, but I use parchment paper. Clean up is easier. Thoughts on greasing vs parchment?
Great video, very interesting and educational. Thanks.
Pro pastry tip. Might try this for Christmas!
Thank you!
Love this recipe, going to fix this for sure !
I'm 75 and my dad was Latvian, a non-combattant survivor of WWI, and a Bronze Star veteran of WWII. Piragi were the coin of the realm at our house around Christmas. My dad's family was large and they were all concentrated around us, so when my mom decided to throw a Christmas buffet, it was a big deal.
We (mom, dad, sis and meself) made the priagi in several batches over weeks. They were kept in large speckled roasters in the back kitchen/ laundry. Once, during a Christmas gathering, I, age 9, caught my Uncle Bill in the back room stuffing piragi into his pockets. I just looked at him. He said ' you ain't seen nuttin.' From that moment, I was bonded with my rough, Latvian, strange, profound uncle.
As to the fidelity of the recipe, this will be very good, although there are nuances. Doesn't matter: this is a really great video. PJT
That’s lovely. Thank you for sharing your story and memories :)
Приготовила вчера, понравилось очень тесто, отличные пирожки получились
So glad to hear that, thanks. спасибо
Awesome video. I used to watch my opa finely cutting the onions with a razor blade for hours 🤣
Oh wow! Sounds a good idea!
Gramma ise to get them very thin and make them in a cresent shape and she made the best and small amount of mashed potatoe in dough
The ''Tangzhong'' made a difference in how long they stay soft. Only question I have, if I'd double the recipe, would I need to double the ''Tangzhong '' too or use the same amount? Thanks
Yes double it up. Re how long it lasts difficult to say as they’re usually all eaten up but at least a coupe of days. Can also freeze them.
They look bloody lovely! made my mouth water (and I was eating lunch at the time).
Is it strong bread flour you're using or just normal flour?
I did use bread flour but am pretty sure that all purpose would work too. Bread flour is relatively new in Latvia so they’ve been made with plain flour for eons. Much easier with a dough hook though.
Please don’t be offended but Tangzhong is not chinese it is japanese it is in Milk Bread .. in addition grams are for dry ingredients and liguid is not grams . So i have to say i have made your recipe and it is fantastic . !! thank you I have gotten my official latvian approval from my lv friends !
Ok, thank you. So pleased the recipe is working for you.
I would suggest using a round cookie cutter or an upside down glass (thin-walled) to punch out dough circles. It is much easier to dose a dough that way - and you can improve your meat/dough ratio (at least it is our way of doing it). Typical fillings: bacon with onions, grilled fermented cabbage or on a rarer occasion - mushrooms.
I had considered doing that but then I will lose the exact weight measurement for the dough. The dough/filling ratio thing I don’t have a problem with because it’s so light you really don’t notice what looks like thick dough because it’s full of airy bubbles. Having said that I have become intrigued as to how much filling you could stuff in there. I will make some more and try out.
We used to do it this way as well, but this method relies on uniformly rolled dough thickness (something I am not at all good at). Weighing each dough ball and using a level 1/2 Tbsp. measuring spoon of filling ensured that each Piragi was more consistent than any I have made in the past with a weight of between 24-25.8 grams each. 🙂
Nice one! Paldies
Lūdzu, lūdzu :)
What would you suggest as an alternative filling for vegetarians?
Thanks
Mushrooms work great and also sauerkraut is very popular here as a filling.
Growing up my Latvian grandma would make them with carrots. I think she would shred and cook them first with caraway and honey.
Here in Estonia cabbage is really popular and finely greater carrot too.
The good thing is that you can use just about anything you like for filling - sauerkraut (precooked) and mushrooms were already mentioned, but also mashed potatoes, cheese, boiled egg and spring onions, boiled rice.
For a sweet tooth my grandmother used to make ones with jelly marmalade candy inside and we, as kids, nibbled the candy out and secretly put the dough back in the tray.
If you make rolls instead of buns - cinnamon spread and poppy seed spread go very nice.
How long do you need to keep the dough?
How long to let it rise before you bake it or how long you can keep it before you use it?
Do you have a trick for making sure the Piragi do not pop open when you bake them?
Using this method they don’t because the seam is underneath
May I suggest inviting Justin Eastern Europe to Your home if You're up for it. He does travel vlogs, periodically lives in Riga.
Justin knows about us, he featured a recipe on his channel last year, not sure it’s his thing, he’s a city lad :)
@@BalticHomesteaders That's exactly what I mean. Latvia is so much more than Riga or Jurmala alone. Your pīrādi look way better than ones he gets in central market. Put him to work. ;)
Liels paldies!
Sooooooooo, I attempted to make this. Got it all together and forgot the butter. Put the dough back in the mixer with the butter. I stuffed them and had them ready to go into the oven. Then I realized I forgot the yeast. So I just threw the stuffed buns back in the mixer and sprinkled in the yeast. After the dough raised I shaped them into buns and baked them. Since I am not Latvian, I don't think any ancestors are rolling in their grave. I will try to make them correctly the next time. I saw the other video about the amount of stuffing, I think I will go with those conclusions for the next attempt.
We’ve all been there, well done for persevering and I’m sure the recipients were none the wiser and thankful for you baking them :)
How long do you let the dough rise?
It’s not so much about time but more volume. Let it double in size at least. The time will depend on your environment as in how warm it is.