Pirukad — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Golden, flaky Estonian hand pies filled with savory rice and egg, beef, or cabbage — beloved street food and picnic fare.

Ingredients

1 Make dough: rub cold butter into flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add sour cream, egg, and salt. Knead briefly into a smooth dough. Chill 30 min.
2 Make filling: combine cooked rice, chopped eggs, sautéed onion, dill, salt, and pepper.
3 Roll dough to 3mm thickness and cut into 12cm circles.
4 Place a generous spoonful of filling on each circle. Fold in half and crimp edges with a fork.
5 Place on a lined baking sheet, brush with beaten egg.
6 Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 20-25 min until golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Did You Know?

The classic Estonian pirukad debate centers on the "correct" filling — rice-and-egg purists and cabbage loyalists have never reached a truce.