Pierogis, pirozkhis, parathas and - pasties

Poland, Russia, India and - well - Cornwall?

The similarities of these bread parcels - for that is what they are - are plain for all to see.

I made these with my special needs groups this morning, using a simple bread dough:

160g strong white flour

1/2 an Oxo cube, crumbled

100ml yeast liquid

Splash of olive oil

Rolled the dough out into a circle, cut out circles and filling (curried lentils and potatoes) placed in the middle. Dough folded over and pinched together to make a small pasty.

Some of these were boiled, some were baked and some were just fried. The boiled ones (pierogi) were then fried in olive oil.

The general conclusion of the support staff - Emma and Donna and Ruth - was that, first of all, they were delicious; and that the fried ones were the best. So let's hear it for the stuffed paratha of India!

There didn't seem to be much difference between the pierogi which were fried after simmering, and the ones which were only fried.

A couple of my students, who couldn't cope with anything small and fiddly, made pasties.

Here they all are - it was a fun session!

The pierogis simmering for a couple of minutes each side

The parathas, fried to a golden brown

The morning's haul. The baked pirozhki are at the top left, and the pasties are bottom right.