(yields 80-100 piroggen)

Filling Ingredients: 

2 lbs bacon (chopped) (regular sliced bacon)

2-3 onions (chopped)

Raisins (2-3 raisins per piroggen)

Salt and pepper to taste

1 egg (beaten)

* ratio of bacon to onions should be 50:50

Dough Ingredients:

5 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1-2 tbsp melted butter or margarine

1 ½ tbsp white sugar

1 tsp salt

1 package quick rise yeast (1 tbsp)

Dough (from Evi v. Cube):

Mix milk and water and warm in microwave until lukewarm (app. 1 minute). In a large bowl mix 3 cups flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Add in the warmed water and milk. Beat with bread beaters or hand mix until consistency of pancake batter consistency. Add melted butter. Mix well. Using a wooden spoon, gradually mix in remaining flour until moist bread dough consistency.On a floured non-stick surface, knead the dough until elastic consistency. Cover with a cloth and let rise in a warm non-drafty area for approximately 1 hour. Dough has risen enough when you can stick your finders in and finger indentation remains.

Filling:

Chop bacon and fry in large skillet over medium heat until bacon is dry and most of water is separated. Drain water/bacon fat through a strainer. Combine cooked bacon and onions in a large bowl and let cool to room temperature.Roll out ½ of dough thinly. Place finger-full of bacon/onion mixture (app. 1-2 tsp) on small outer section of rolled dough. Add 2-3 raisins. Fold into a semi circle and seal. “cut” the piroggen out of the rolled dough with a piroggen cutter or thin edged glass with a c.a. 2½” inside diameter – this results in a semi-circle of dough with filling inside. Place on greased cookie sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden brown.

Tips:

· Draining the water/fat from the bacon ensures your piroggen won’t ‘clam open’ & stay sealed
· Use drained bacon water for a great split pea soup base
· Ceramic or pyrex bowls conduct heat more evenly for dough rising.
· Double smoked bacon is not brined; therefore it does not need to be cooked.
· Don’t use bread machine yeast, use dry fast acting yeast.