OK, bakers... are you ready to bierocks?

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS Enlarge Image

Cheese adds flavour and binds the filling together so that it's easier to work with.

Doreen Schafer wrote in asking for a recipe for bierocks, or German meat buns. Thanks to Judy Stevenson, Linda Snider, Shirley Grosky from The Pas, Heida Bottrell, Mary Purchase, Linda Bass and Janet Brown. From this wealth of responses, I learned that the dish has different spellings, different names, different sizes and different shapes. In fact, basically all Eastern European cultures seem to have some version of this dish -- buns made from yeast dough with different fillings.

From all the recipes that came in, I'm offering two different doughs -- one rises in the fridge overnight -- and two meat-based fillings. (Other fillings include cottage cheese, sausages and dates.) Some readers also pointed out that pre-made bread dough or refrigerated crescent roll dough can offer a quick solution.

If you can help with a recipe request, have your own request, or a favourite recipe you'd like to share, send an email to recipeswap@freepress.mb.ca, fax it to 697-7412, or write to Recipe Swap, c/o Alison Gillmor, Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave. Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6. Please include your first and last name, address and telephone number.

Bierocks

5 ml (1 tsp) white sugar

250 ml (1 cup) warm water (43-46C, or 110-115F)

30 ml (2 tbsp) instant yeast

750 ml ( 3 cups) whole milk

150 ml (2/3 cup) shortening

75 ml (1/3 cup) butter

20 ml (4 tsp) salt

60 ml (1/4 cup) white sugar

2 eggs

2.3- 2.5 L (10-11 cups) all-purpose flour

beaten egg

700 g (1 1/2 lbs) lean ground beef

125 ml (1/2 cup) onion, chopped fine

500 ml (2 cups) cabbage, chopped fine

7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) salt

2 ml (1/2 tsp) pepper

125 ml (1/2 cup) grated cheddar

75 ml (1/3 cup) grated mozzarella

For dough: In medium bowl, dissolve sugar in warm water. Sprinkle yeast over and let stand 10 minutes. Heat milk in a heavy saucepan until warm. (Do not boil.) Remove from heat and add shortening, butter, salt and sugar. Add milk mixture and eggs to yeast mixture and stir. Gradually add flour, mixing well. Gather into a ball and knead 4-5 minutes on a floured surface, until dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a large greased bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 175C (350F). Grease baking sheets. Punch down dough and on a floured surface roll out quite thin. Cut dough in circles about 6 cm (21/2 in). Place spoonful of filling on the dough and fold into a half-circle, pinching to seal edges. Arrange on prepared sheets and brush with beaten egg.

For filling: Fry beef until brown and cooked through, breaking up well with a fork. Add onion and cabbage and cook until cabbage is softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and drain off any excess liquid. Season with salt and pepper. Add cheese and stir until melted.

Tester's notes: Really tasty. I found I needed to cut the dough bigger than 6 cm (21/2 in) because the dough retracted a little after cutting. The cheese adds flavour and also binds the filling together so that it's easier to work with.

Bierocks (with overnight dough)

125 ml (1/2 cup) warm water (43-46C or 110-115F)

5 ml (1 tsp) white sugar

15 ml (1 tbsp) instant yeast

150g (1/3 lb) shortening

2 ml (1/2 tsp) salt

60 ml (4 tbsp) white sugar

900 ml (4 cups) all-purpose flour

250 ml (1 cup) sour cream

4 eggs

5 ml (1 tsp) white sugar

beaten egg

450 g (1 lb) lean ground beef

1 onion, chopped fine

1x 453 g jar (16 oz) sauerkraut, drained well

1/2 head cabbage, chopped fine

salt, pepper

optional seasonings: garlic, caraway seeds or Worcestershire sauce to taste

In a small cup, combine warm water and 5 ml (1 tsp) sugar. Sprinkle yeast over and let stand for 10 minutes. In a large bowl, combine shortening, salt, 60 ml (4 tbsp) sugar and flour. Mix like pastry -- with pastry cutter, two knives or working quickly with fingers -- until crumbly. In a medium bowl, combine sour cream, eggs, 5 ml (1 tsp) sugar and yeast mixture. Add to shortening and flour mixture and beat with wooden spoon until smooth. Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, preheat oven to 175C (350F) and grease cookie sheets. Punch down the dough. Roll out half the dough and cut into squares or circles about 6 cm (2.5 in). Place a spoonful of filling in the middle of each circle and pinch to seal. Place on prepared cookie sheets and brush with beaten egg. Bake 20-25 minutes or until lightly browned.

Tester's notes: Also really good. The dough is nice and tender and the sauerkraut adds an edge to the meat and cabbage filling.

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition December 21, 2011 D4