No. 354 — Deep-Fried Yeast Pies with Brain Filling
English editorial translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 354 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, with historical measures, method and source.
Prepare yeast pastry as in No. 321. Once the filled oblong little pies have risen on the table, the historical recipe directs frying them in hot butter or deep fat in a copper saucepan.
For the filling take the brains from one calf's head or half a beef brain. The original soaks them in cold water to remove blood, strips away their membranes and places them in 2½ glasses of boiling water with ten peppercorns, one bay leaf, one tablespoon of vinegar and one teaspoon of salt.
The author boils them for about ten minutes, lifts out, cools and chops finely.
Fry ½ spoonful of flour in a spoonful of butter, then add the prepared brains. Season with ground pepper, nutmeg or mace and mix in two spoonfuls of stock or one spoonful of sour cream.
To provide
Pastry: 2–3 zolotniks of dried yeast 1⅓ Russian pounds of flour (listed as four glasses) 2–3 egg yolks and 1⅛ Russian pounds of butter, as printed 1 glass of water or milk and ½ spoonful of fine sugar | 1–2 Russian pounds of deep-frying fat and a spoonful of water, as printed Filling: 1 calf brain and ⅛ pound of butter ½ spoonful of flour, nutmeg, pepper and salt |