Mushroom Piroshki

Prepare the Dough

1. Dissolve the yeast in the ¼ cup of warm water and place in a warm location until frothy (10 to 15 minutes).

2. In a medium saucepan over low heat, warm the milk and gently whisk in the eggs, oil, sugar and salt until lukewarm and blended, then immediately remove from heat.

3. Place half the flour in a large mixing bowl and gradually stir in the milk mixture. Then add the yeast solution alternately with the remaining flour, stirring after each addition.

4. Mix well and then knead until the dough forms a cohesive ball and does not stick to the bowl. (Note: Start with the 4 cups of flour. You may need to add more, a little at a time, as you knead the dough).

5. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth. Set in a warm location (such as an unheated oven with the light on, or near a sunny window) and allow to rise until visually doubled in volume (1 to 1 ½ hours).

Prepare the Filling

1. Dice and boil the potatoes until fork-tender. Drain thoroughly and mash coarsely. Set aside.

2. Heat butter or oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add diced onions and cook until translucent (about 4 minutes).

3. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until their moisture evaporates and they begin to brown.

4. Add the lean ground beef to the skillet. Break it apart with a spoon and cook until entirely browned. Tilt the pan and drain off any excess oily grease (leaving only enough liquid to keep things moist).

5. Stir the mashed potatoes and the herbs into the beef. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

6. Transfer filling to a wide, shallow dish. Be sure to scrape up and include any of the fond (the browned bits, excluding pooled grease) along with the filling.

7. Allow the filling to cool completely (20 to 30 minutes), then fold in the grated cheese(s).**

8. Cover and set aside until the dough has finished rising.

Fill and Cook

1. After dough has risen, remove it from bowl and place on a lightly floured surface.

2. Pinch off golf ball-sized pieces, and use a rolling pin to roll each piece into circular disks about 3 ½" to 4" in diameter and roughly ¼" thick.

3. Place about 2 Tbsp. of filling in the center of each dough circle, leaving room to seal the edges. Dab a tiny bit of water along the rim to help sealing, if needed.

4. Fold over and seal like a tart, then reposition so that the seam will be on the bottom of your piroshki.**

5. Reshape if needed. Repeat.

6. You can deep fry them until the dough is cooked through, or for a health-conscious crowd, coat the with egg and bake them in the oven.

* You can have some fun here: Combine different cheeses together. Or divide the filling into separate bowls and fold different cheeses into each batch of filling, then shape the piroshki differently for each type of cheese — or surprise your guests with the different flavors by using identical shapes.