Pirogi come in different shapes and forms: they are often oblong with tapering ends, but can also be circular or rectangular.[1][6] They can be closed or open-faced with no crust on top.[6]
Pirogi are usually made from yeast-raiseddough,[3][6] which distinguishes them from pies and pastries common in other cuisines.[3] In former times, the dough for Russian pirogi was made predominantly of rye flour. Later it was mixed with wheat flour. Nowadays, mainly wheat flour is used.[3]
There are also variants made from shortcrust, flakyorpuff pastry. In East-Slavic languages, pirog is a generic term which denotes virtually any kind of pie, pastry, or cake. Тhus, Karelian pastry (known as Karelian pirog in Russian), Jewish knishorcharlotte cake are considered types of pirog in Eastern Europe.
The filling for pirogi may be sweet and contain tvorogorcottage cheese, fruits like apples, plums or various berries, as well as honey, nuts or poppy seeds. Savory versions may consist of meat, fish, mushrooms, cabbage, rice, buckwheatgroats, or potato. In Ukrainian and Russian cuisines, pirogi (as well as their smaller versions called pirozhki) with a savory filling are traditionally served as an accompaniment with clear borscht, broth, or consommé.[6]
Certain types of pirog are known by different names:
Coulibiac, a middle-size Russian pirog of oblong shape with a complex filling;[7]
Kurnik ("chicken pirog"), also known as wedding pirogortsar pirog, a dome-shaped savory Russian pirog, usually filled with chicken, eggs, onions, kasha or rice, and other optional components;[8][9]
Pirozhki (Russian diminutive, literally "small pirogi") or pyrizhky (Ukrainian), individual-sized buns that can be eaten with one hand;[1]
Rasstegai ("unbuttoned pirog"), a type of Russian pirog with a hole in the top;[10]
Shanga, a small or medium-size open-faced circular savory pirog endemic to and widespread in Ural and Siberia;[11] "Shanga is a bakery product made of unleavened or yeast, wheat, rye or rye-wheat dough. The dish is of Finno-Ugric origin, spread from Karelia to the Ob, including the Russian North. It is part of the national cuisines: Komi cuisine, Mari cuisine, North Russian cuisine, Udmurt cuisine."
Vatrushka, a small sweet pirog, popular in all Eastern Slavic cuisines, formed as a ring of dough with quark in the middle.[12][13]
Similar West Slavic pastries, such as Czech and Slovak Kolach, and Polish Kołacz, usually have sweet fillings.
^ abcDarra Goldstein. A Taste of Russia: A Cookbook of Russian Hospitality, "Russian pies", p.54. Russian Information Service, 1999, ISBN978-1880100677
^Вильям Похлебкин. Кулинарный словарь, Пироги. Москва: Центрполиграф, 2007, ISBN978-5-9524-3170-6 (William Pokhlyobkin. The Culinary Dictionary, "Pirogi". Moscow: Centrpoligraph, 2007; in Russian)
^ abcdВильям Похлебкин. Большая энциклопедия кулинарного искусства, Пироги русские. Москва: Центрполиграф, 2010, ISBN978-5-9524-4620-5 (William Pokhlyobkin. The Great Encyclopedia of Culinary Art, "Russian pirogi". Moscow: Centrpoligraph, 2010; in Russian)
^Max Vasmer. Russisches etymologisches Wörterbuch. Winter. Heidelberg, 1953–1958 (in German); Пирог (in Russian)
