Tag: Paszteciki

Paszteciki are little savoury pastries often served as a soup accompaniment. They are made with with a pre-cooked filling which sometimes contains meat but vegetable versions are very popular and mushroom or sauerkraut & mushroom ones are very often made for Wigilia – Christmas Eve.

They are shaped like little sausage rolls or diagonal slices cut from a large roll.

I think they are best served warm.

You can make these using many sorts of pastry doughs – the following yeast dough is one that is often used.

Yeast Dough

Ingredients

• 250g plain flour or a mixture of spelt & plain flour
• 1 tablespoon of dried yeast
• 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
• 125-150ml of milk
• 1 egg & 1 yolk
• 40g butter – melted
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 egg white used for glaze

Method

• Put 50g of the flour into a bowl.
• Add the yeast and sugar.
• Add enough of the milk to make the mixture like double cream.
• Leave in a warm place to bubble and froth up.
• Place the rest of the flour into a bowl.
• Add the salt and mix.
• Lightly beat the whole egg  and the yolk together.
• Add the egg mixture to the flour.
• Add the yeast mixture to the flour.
• Start to mix together using a wooden spoon.
• Slowly add as much milk as needed.
• Bring the dough together using your hands until it leaves the side of the bowl.
• Knead the dough lightly until it is smooth.
• Flatten the dough into a rectangle.
• Slowly pour on the butter and fold over the dough.
• Keep kneading the buttery dough until it is all incorporated.
• Knead a little longer until you have a nice glossy ball.
• Put the dough back into a bowl.
• Cover with a cloth or cling film and leave to rise in a warm place.
• ***********************
• Pre-heat the oven to GM7 220 °C.
• Grease several baking trays.
• Take the pastry and shape into a rough rectangle.
• Roll out thinly into a large rectangle.
• Cut the rectangle into two lengthwise so you have two long thin rectangles.
• Place the cold filling in the centre lengthwise.
• Fold the two long sides over the filling so the pastry just meets and is not too thick.
• Turn the roll over so the seam is underneath.
• Cut the roll into diagonal slices about 5cm thick.

• Place the pieces on the baking trays.
• Glaze the pieces with beaten egg white.
• Leave for around 30 minutes.
• Bake for 14-15 minutes.
• Allow to cool a little and then remove from the tray and place on a cooling rack.

Served on Royal Worcester  – Evesham – tea plates –  a design from 1961

Fillings

A variety of  fillings can be used such as ones that you would use for pierogi – Polish filled pasta, for example mushroom or sauerkraut & mushroom or you can  use pre-cooked vegetables, meats and also include hard boiled eggs.

All fillings should be cold when used.

Below are two fillings that I made for my paszteciki.

Fresh Cabbage & Mushroom Filling

Ingredients

• Small head of white cabbage or sweetheart cabbage.
• 150-200g of mushrooms (I used the chestnut ones)
• 1 large onion
• 100g of butter
• 2 or more hard boiled eggs
• Salt & pepper to taste

 

Method

• Shred and then chop the cabbage into small pieces.
• Chop the onion into small pieces.
• Chop the mushrooms into small pieces.
• Melt the half the butter in a large deep frying pan.
• Slowly cook the onions and the cabbage but do not brown.
• Cover with a lid and let them simmer till they are both soft.
• Stir occasionally – you might need to add a little hot water.
• In another pan melt the rest of the butter and fry the mushrooms.
• Add the mushrooms to the cabbage and onion mixture and mix well.
• Heat gently together to remove all the excess liquid.
• Leave to go cold.
• Rough chop the hard boiled eggs and add them to the mixture.
• Season to taste.

Note – this might be more filling than you need – you can always freeze what is left.

Mushroom Filling

This is a new filling for me using just fresh mushrooms.

Ingredients

• 250 -300g mushrooms(I used chestnut)
• 1 onion
• Around 50g  of butter
• 3-4 tablespoons of soured cream
• Salt & pepper to taste.

Method

• Slice and chop the mushrooms into small pieces.
• Chop the onion into small pieces.
• Fry the onion in butter till they are soft – do not brown.
• Add the mushrooms and fry together.
• Keep stirring and cook gently till the mushrooms are soft.
• Add the soured cream and stir together.
• Heat for a little while to remove excess liquid.
• Leave to go cold.
• Season to taste.

Note – this might be more filling than you need – you can always freeze what is left.