Fried Yeast-Dough Potato Hand Pies

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make yeast-dough hand pies? The ingredients are as simple and cheap as it gets — have them ready ahead of time. Sift the flour through a fine sieve to aerate it. Wash and dry the potatoes. Peel, wash, and dry the onion.

2. Step 2:

   

   Start with the dough. We won't make a separate sponge — just mix the dough straight from all the ingredients. First combine the dry components: some of the flour (about 2 cups), the dry yeast, salt, and sugar.

3. Step 3:

   

   Make a well in the flour and pour in half a cup of vegetable oil.

4. Step 4:

   

   Add warm water (about 105°F / 40°C) to the flour. Be careful — the water mustn't be too hot, or it will kill the yeast. Warm water gets the dough rising fast.

5. Step 5:

   

   Add the rest of the flour in batches and knead into an elastic dough. You may need a little more or less flour. The dough shouldn't stick to your hands, but it shouldn't be too stiff either. Cover it with a clean towel and let it rise for just 20 to 30 minutes, while the filling potatoes cook. It helps to set the dough near the stove so the steam from the potatoes encourages it to rise.

6. Step 6:

   

   While the dough rises, make the filling. Peel and wash the potatoes and boil them in salted water. Drain, then mash them — a potato masher works best.

7. Step 7:

   

   Finely chop the peeled onion, then fry it in vegetable oil until golden.

8. Step 8:

   

   Stir the fried onion into the mashed potatoes and mix well. The filling is ready.

9. Step 9:

   

   By now the dough has risen nicely — we left it alone. Punch it down and start shaping the pies right away. Knead it by hand for about 3 to 5 minutes.

10. Step 10:

    

    The dough is so soft and elastic that we won't need a rolling pin — we'll do it all by hand, with hands greased in vegetable oil. Keep a little dish of oil beside you, dip your hands, and pinch off equal-sized pieces of dough to shape into pies.

11. Step 11:

    

    Set a skillet of oil on the stove to heat, and start shaping the first pies. Press a piece of dough into a round with your hand — it doesn't have to be pretty or even, the pies will puff up and hide any bumps. Add the filling; there should be about half as much filling as dough (though you can add more if you like).

12. Step 12:

    

    Pinch the edges of the dough closed into a pie shape and drop it straight into the hot oil, seam side down. Shape the next pie the same way. Work quickly. If you prefer, you can shape all the pies first and fry them afterward.

13. Step 13:

    

    The pies puff up noticeably as they fry. Transfer the finished pies to a paper towel to blot the excess oil.

14. Step 14:

    

    Serve the fried yeast potato pies with half-sour pickles or alongside tea, whatever you like. Enjoy!