Recipe for Potato Fritters – Pirojki

Prepare the filling. Peel the potatoes, cut them into pieces, and place them in a saucepan. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and cook for 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Remove 400 g of cooking water and let it cool to 35-40°C. Drain the remaining water and mash the potatoes with a potato ricer to achieve a smooth purée.

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Add the chopped onion and sauté it for a few minutes, stirring regularly so it doesn't burn. Add the onion to the potatoes, along with the salt and crushed spice. Mix well and set aside.

Prepare the dough. In a large bowl, pour in the warm water obtained after cooking the potatoes. Add the crumbled yeast and mix well with a spoon to dissolve it. Add the egg, oil, salt, and mix. Then gradually add the flour and mix by hand.

Knead for about 15-20 minutes until you obtain a smooth, soft, and fluffy dough that easily pulls away from the sides of the bowl. If you have a dough mixer, feel free to use it.

Lightly oil the mixing bowl and the surface of the dough, place it inside, cover it with plastic wrap, and let it rise at room temperature for 1 hour or until it doubles in size.

Oil the work surface and your hands. Cut the dough into 2 equal pieces and form 2 balls. Then cut each piece into 8 pieces and form balls again. In total, you should have 16 small balls of dough. Heat a frying bath.

Flatten a piece of dough with your fingers to obtain a circle of about 10 cm. Add a generous tablespoon of filling in the center and seal the edges well to enclose it. Turn the doughnut with the seam side down and flatten it slightly.

Place it in the fryer with the closure facing down and let it brown on both sides. Meanwhile, prepare the next doughnut. Drain on a plate with paper towels to remove excess oil.