Cherry Piroshki

I spent most of my childhood at grandma’s little farm in Ukraine. I would spend the early mornings picking fresh cherries and raspberries and, over the following days, gorging on them. When we moved to Toronto with my husband, I knew there would be things about home I would miss – obvious ones like my mom, dad, sister, cat and other family members and friends. But it was amazing how I felt that other, less tangible things, were also absent from my life. I missed the stunning view of the sea on the drive to my grandma’s house and the seemingly endless summer bounty from her glorious fruit trees.

It’s no surprise, now, that fruit picking here in Canada is something I look forward to every summer. It magically takes me back to those days spent with my grandma. I check out farm websites so that I know exactly when my favorite fruits are coming into season. And sometimes I push other, more important tasks aside for those few hours out in the field where it can be just me, my bucket, the fruit, and the sound of the buzzing bees.

It’s almost impossible for me to pick a favorite fruit, but I flash back to those summers in Ukraine the winner is, hands down, sour cherries. And the best way to enjoy them was either in piroshki or vareniki (pirogies).

I am so thrilled to share the recipe for these cherry piroshki with you guys! This stuff is so yummy! You can use regular sweet cherries if you can’t get a hold of sour cherries, they will work just fine. Although sour cherries do bring extra kick in flavor and juiciness.

Serve them warm with some nice sour cream and kompot and it’s going to make you really popular with your people. Are you even ready for that kind of love?

Ingredients:

2 cups all purpose gluten-free flour

1/2 cup milk

1/4 tsp xanthan gum

3 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp active dried yeast

1 cup sour cherries

2 tbsp oil + more for frying

Place sour cherries in a medium bowl and sprinkle it with 1 tablespoon of sugar. This will help extract the extra juices from cherries and prevent from leaking outside of piroshki.

To prepare the dough, mix dry yeast with flour and xanthan gum. Add sugar, salt and oil. Pour warm milk (36 – 38 degrees) and knead the dough. With gluten free dough you really have to make sure to kneed the dough for some time to get the xanthan gum activated. The stand mixer on medium speed for 20-30 minutes will do the job. Once the dough ball has formed put it in a bowl, cover with a plastic wrap or a towel and leave it for an hour and a half in a warm place.

When the dough has risen, place it on a well oiled cutting board and form a 2 inch log.

Cut off pieces one at a time about 3 inch long.

Gently spread each piece on a cutting board using your fingers.

Strain the cherries through the mesh separating cherries from the juices. Don’t discard the juice, it will be a wonderful addition to drinks.

Place 6-7 sour cherries in the middle and sprinkle them with a pinch of sugar.

Cover the cherries with the sides of the dough and pinch the edges together to seal the dough. Flatten the piroshki slightly to make them a more uniform size.

Note: It helps to keep your hands well oiled through the process to keep the dough from sticking to your hand.

Heat oil in a large, deep, heavy-bottomed pan or cast iron dutch oven. There should be enough oil to cover the piroshki half-way up the side. Place them in the hot oil and fry until deep golden brown on each side. Sometimes they puff up on the sides as well which may need to be fried too.

Place fried piroshki on paper towels to get rid off extra oils.

Serve warm or cold with sour cream.