Pirozhki

Pirozhki(Russian:пирожки́,romanized:pirožkí,IPA:[pʲɪrɐʂˈkʲi]) (lit.Smallpie) areEastern Europeanbaked or fried yeast-leavened boat-shaped buns with a variety of fillings.Pirozhki are a popularstreet foodandcomfort foodin Eastern Europe.
The stress inpirozhkiis on the last syllable:[pʲɪrɐʂˈkʲi].Pirozhok(Russian:пирожо́к,romanized:pirožók,IPA:[pʲɪrɐˈʐok], singular) is thediminutiveform of Russianpirog, which means a full-sizedpie.Pirozhki are not to be confused with the Polishpierogi(a cognate term), which are calledvarenykyorpyrohyin Ukrainian andDoukhoborese, andvarenikiin Russian.
A typical pirozhok is boat- or rarely crescent-shaped, made of yeast-leavened dough, with filling completely enclosed. Similar Russian pastries (pirogs) of other shapes includecoulibiac,kalitka,rasstegai, andvatrushka.
Pirozhki are either fried or baked. They come in sweet or savory varieties. Common savory fillings includeground meat,mashed potato,mushrooms,boiled eggwithscallions, orcabbage. Typical sweet fillings are fruit (apple,cherry,apricot,lemon),jam, ortvorog.
Baked pirozhki may be glazed with egg to produce golden color. They may also be decorated with strips of dough.
Pirozhki are usually hand-sized. A smaller version may be served with soups.
Varieties of pirozhki were brought to the Americas byVolga Germans. Known today asbierock,pirokorrunza, they belong to several regional cuisines in the United States,CanadaandArgentina.  The populous Russian diaspora which came to the Americas as a consequence of theRussian Revolution, theRussian Civil War, and (much later) thecollapse of the Soviet Union, brought with them the more classic Russian versions of pirozhki.
TheGreekvarietypiroski(Greek:πιροσκί)is popular in parts of Greece, in particular inNorthern Greece, as brought byPontic Greeks, and in most big cities, where they are sold, most in the past time but also less still today, as a type of fast food in specialty shops called Piroski shops, selling piroski exclusively.The Greekpiroskiacome fried with many different stuffings,such as Greekfetacheese or Greekkassericheese or minced meat ormashed potatoor mix offetacheese andhamor other filling.
InSerbiathe local variety are cylindrical pastries calledпирошка/piroška(piroshka). They are stuffed with fillings such as ground spiced meat mix ofporkandvealor cottage cheese, and withkulen, tomato sauce and herbs. Alternatively they are made from breadedcrepeswith variety of fillings.
InCroatia, the namepiroška(sing.),piroške(pl.) was derived frompirog, and refers to a kind ofuštipci.
InLatvia, crescent-shaped buns of leavened dough calledspeķrauši(literally, "fatback tarts") orspeķa pīrāgi(often referred to in diminutivespeķa pīrādziņior colloquially simplypīrāgiorpīrādziņi) are traditionally filled with smokedfatbackand onion. Other fillings are also possible.However the namepīrāgiis not exclusive to these buns, but can refer to variety of other pastries, such aspiesandturnovers.Pīrāgiwere often eaten as lunch by farmers and shepherds working the fields.
Estonians (and Finns) too have this tradition. Thepirukadorsaiakesedare fairly small in size and have regional variations in respect to fillings. They are usually made with puff pastry. Open pies covering the scale of whole baking tray are also popular, more similar to American pies. Many recipes exist, with meat, cabbage,carrots,rice, egg and other fillings and filling mixtures also being used. Sweet fillings are as popular as savorypirukadwith fillings like apple, various berries,marzipan, various spices and jam.
The Russian variant of pirozhki is a common fast food inArmeniaandAzerbaijan. In Armenia it often contains a potato or seasoned meat filling. In Azerbaijan it is usually made with jam, mashed potatoes, or ground beef.
Pirozhki are common as fast food on the streets of the Central Asian countries inKazakhstan,Tajikistan,Uzbekistan,Turkmenistan,Kyrgyzstan, where they were introduced by the Russians.  They are also made by many Russians and non-Russians at home.
TheFinnishversion is the similarlihapiirakka, a popular street food made with donut dough, minced meat and rice.
TheIranianversion,pirashki(Persian:پیراشکیpirāški), is often consumed as a appetizer or as a street food. It is commonly filled with pastry cream, but potato and meat fillings are also available.
The dish was introduced to Japan byWhite Russianrefugees who sought shelter there after theBolshevik Revolutionof 1917. A localized Japanese version, calledピロシキ(piroshiki), are predominantly fried, use fillings such as ground meat, boiled egg,bean noodles, and spring onion, and are commonly breaded withpankobefore frying, in the manner of Japanesemenchi-katsu. Another popular variation is filled withJapanese curryand is quite similar tokarē-pan, which is itself said to be inspired by pirozhki.
Pirozhki is common as fast food inMongolia, and it is made throughout the country by families at home.