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Latvian Lard Patties

Sincere greetings from Latvia, Liepaja Science and Education Innovation Center!
May Christmas and your hearts be richly filled with love and peace like these patties!
Lard patties are the national dish for any holiday in Latvia and are an integral part of the holiday also at Christmas.




LARD PATTIES

Dough ingredients
100 g butter
200 ml of milk
1 packet of dry yeast (11 g)
400 g all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. sour cream
a pinch of salt
a pinch of sugar

For filling
200 gr speck or bacon
1 fresh onion
salt
peppers
Additionally 1 egg

Instructions
  1. Pour all butter and ¾ of milk in the pot and heat it until all butter is melted. Put aside and let cool until the moment when it’s slightly warm (not hot, it will kill the yeast!).
  2. Put the rest of the milk (at room temperature or slightly warm) in a bowl and add sugar and yeast. Mix and put aside to let the yeast start to ferment.
  3. Put the flour and salt in the bowl, which will be used for kneading.
  4. Put the cooled milk and butter mix and the yeast mix in the flour bowl.
  5. Start kneading the dough. In the middle of the process, add sour cream. Continue to knead the dough until it comes off of your hands and bowl.
  6. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it rise for 30 – 40 minutes.

*If the dough doesn’t start to come off, add 1 – 2 tbsp of olive oil and knead it in throughout.

Filling preparation
  1. Cut the bacon into small pieces.
  2. Cut the onion into small pieces.
  3. Mix bacon/speck and onion and add salt and peppers as necessary.

Preparing the pies
  1. Take the dough out of the bowl and put it on the table (powdered with flour).
  2. Roll the dough in one long piece and cut it in pieces with a knife (or any similar tool). Make dough pieces in small balls, and then flatten those and make a flat, round piece. Put in the prepared filling and fold it together making a shape of the pie.
  3. Put the pie on the baking plate, cover with egg wash, and put in the pre-heated oven (180 degrees) and bake for 7 – 10 minutes or until pies become golden in color.
  4. Put the pies in the bowl and eat with pleasure.  

Bon appetite!