Pieróg z kaszą gryczaną - dough with buckwheat and potatoes

Published: November 8th, 2023 - Last updated: June 3rd, 2024

Today I would like to present a recipe for an unusual dish. It is not widely known, but it can be described more as a local dish. In my opinion, but, it is worth going back to the roots and looking for local or slightly forgotten recipes. One of them is the recipe for 'pirog with buckwheat'. Locally, the name 'piróg' is used, although 'pieróg' would be a more appropriate name. Either way, its unusual taste is worth trying.

Where does buckwheat 'pierog' come from?

I saw this cake for the first time in the Podkarpacie region. Actually visiting its eastern regions. More precisely, east of Łańcut. The information obtained shows that it is also known in parts of the Lublin Voivodeship. Here it even has a regional name "pirog biłgorajski" or krupniak. Under this name, it was entered on the list of Polish traditional products on September 28, 2005 (https://www.gov.pl/web/rolnictwo/pierog-pirog-bilgorajski-dawniej-zwany-krupniakiem).

In some literature you can also find the name 'Piróg Lubelski' (Polish Heritage Cookery By Robert Strybel, Maria Strybel). It is the same baked product under a different name.

After a deeper analysis, it turned out that it is also known in the eastern part of Ukraine. There is an almost identical bakery product in the vicinity of 'Yavoriv'.

How was buckwheat 'pierog' was created ?

Some sources say that it is an Old Polish or Old Slavic cake, as evidenced by the name. In my opinion, Ruthenian origin is also very probable. I conclude this from the fact that the area of occurrence known to me coincides with part of the territory of Red Ruthenia.

A map showing the area where dough with buckwheat and potatoes are found.

In the drawing I have marked the areas where this unusual dish can be found. Please note that the exact area may vary slightly. This is due to the fact that I have only seen it in a few places and it would require further investigation. Either way, slightly changed, it is the same local baked goods.

It is also possible that it is also popular in other regions of Poland. I found a similar recipe in the book 'Polish regional cuisine' from 1992. But, here there is no reference to the regionalism of this dish.

How to serve pirog with buckwheat?

This cake tastes best warm. Greased with a little butter that melts under the influence of heat. You can add a bit of cold meat here and you will get a very filling dish. I think that was one of the goals of creating this bake. In a small form we have a very rich and filling dish.

If you didn't eat the dumpling right away, no worries. You can also eat it cold or cut into slices and fry it. In this form it even tastes good with ketchup (especially for children)

Recipe informations:

Preparation

90 minutes

Total

180 minutes

Yield

Servings 10

4 (1)

Ingredients for the stuffing

2 cups of buckwheat (450g)
2 cups of milk
4 cups of pureed boiled potatoes (500g)
3 cups of fresh, well-squeezed cottage cheese (200g)
2 tablespoons of butter
2 eggs
salt
pepper

Ingredients for the cake

1.5 cups of wheat flour
100 grams of butter
10 grams of fresh yeast
a pinch of baking powder
half a teaspoon of sugar
0.5 cups of cream
half a teaspoon of salt

Steps for preparing the stuffing

1. Step

Buckwheat should be scalded in a bowl with boiling milk. This should last at least two or three hours. The bowl should be closed and preferably wrapped in a blanket or other form of insulation.

2. Step

Then add the pureed potatoes and cottage cheese. Mix everything thoroughly. The groats do not have to be completely ground. It is important that the potatoes and cottage cheese combine into one mass.

3. Step

While mixing, add melted butter, salt, pepper and egg. Knead the resulting mass thoroughly. Finally, we can squeeze out some of the resulting liquid.

Steps to prepare the rest

1. Step

In a bowl, mix the cream, yeast, sugar and a pinch of baking powder

2. Step

Add the crushed butter and flour. Then knead the dough until it obtains a uniform consistency.

3. Step

Two thirds of the resulting dough should be rolled out and pressed into the bottom of the form. Most often, it is a form measuring approximately 30 x 15 cm.

4. Step

Spread the previously prepared stuffing and then smooth it out with a spoon.

5. Step

Roll out the rest of the dough and add the previously stuffed filling. Press the bottom dough together with the top one so that it is well combined.

6. Step

Bake for about 1 hour. and 20 min. at a temperature of 180*C. After about half an hour, you can cover it with a piece of baking paper to prevent the upper part from burning.

7. Step

Serve the slices hot with cream, kefir or buttermilk. It can also be served cold with butter. It can also be served fried with butter or other additives.