Ossetian Pies with Swiss Chard

Ossetian Pies with Swiss Chard 00:00 Intro 01:08 Mix the Dough 02:35 Fold the Dough and Let it Rise 04:29 Warm up the Dough and Heat the Oven 04:37 Cooked Chard Filling 07:33 Raw Chard Filling Variation 08:16 Shape the Pies 10:06 Bake the Pies 11:15 Filling Comparison (Raw vs Cooked) About Yeast: SAF Instant Yeast is available at Whole Foods and online. Store it in the freezer and it will last for many years. Pour about 1/2 cup of yeast into a small clean jar and keep in your fridge for up to a year to use for your baking projects. When you run out, make a new jar with the yeast from the freezer. Active dry yeast will work, but it’s extremely unreliable and sometimes goes bad even before you open the packet. Makes 2 pies 8-9”(20-23cm) in diameter Dough: 230g unbleached all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur Brand) 1/2 tsp SAF Instant Yeast (see the note above) 1 tsp granulated sugar 2 tsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt (or 1 tsp Table salt) 85g whole milk, around 80F (27C) 85g water, around 80F (27C) 20g extra virgin olive oil Vegetable oil for hands and bowl In a medium bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt using a spoon. Make a well, and add the milk, water and olive oil. Mix as shown in the video until all the flour is absorbed and the dough starts to stick to the bottom of the bowl. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Oil your hand with vegetable oil, and fold the dough 12 times as shown in the video. Flip it smooth side up (it won’t be that smooth, but it won’t show the folds). Cover and let rise 30-60 min. Oil 2 bowls roughly 2 cups in capacity with vegetable oil (roughly 1 tsp per bowl). Oil a spoon and use it to cut the dough in half. Transfer the dough halves into the little oiled bowls. Fold the dough towards the center and seal like a dumpling (see video). Flip the balls so that the smooth side is up. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. Cooked Chard Filling: Note about chard measurements: 2 bunches of chard weigh about 720g (360g leaves and 360g stems). After you trim the stems, you’ll have about 320g. Don’t worry about minor variations in weight. 720g chard (2 bunches) 2 Tbsp olive oil 2 minced garlic cloves Pinch of chili flakes 20g raisins (about 2 Tbsp) 20g pine nuts (about 2 Tbsp) 80g feta, dried and crumbled 80g whipped cream cheese 3 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced 20g cilantro and/or dill (parsley and basil also work) 2 tsp pomegranate molasses Separate the chard into stems and leaves. Wash and dry. Trim the stems, cut the wide ones lengthwise, and then chop all the stems 1/3 inch thick. Chop all the leaves into small pieces. In a 12” straight sided skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add chopped stems and season with salt. Cover and cook stirring every couple of minutes until the stems release some juice. Uncover and continue to cook stirring occasionally until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, chili flakes, raisins, pine nuts, and a pinch of salt and drizzle of olive oil. Cook on med-low until the garlic is no longer raw and sharp, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the chopped chard leaves, cover, and cook until they start to wilt, 2-3 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally until the leaves are tender and completely wilted, about 5 min. Cool, stir in the cheeses, scallions, herbs, and pom molasses. Taste and correct for salt. Shape into 2 balls. Raw Chard Filling Variation: Start like the cooked version, but don’t add the leaves to the skillet. Put the cooked chard stems with raisins and pine nuts into a big bowl and cool. Add 250g chopped chard leaves, 100g feta, 100g whipped cream cheese, and 2 tsp pomegranate molasses. Season with salt and massage thoroughly with your hands to wilt the greens. Stir in the scallions and herbs, taste and correct for salt and acidity. Shape into 2 balls. Shaping and Baking: Get the dough out of the fridge 2 hours before baking. 30 minutes before baking, set the rack to the lower third of the oven. Place a pizza stone or steel on the rack. Preheat the oven to 475F (245C) at least for 45 minutes. Shape the pies like shown in the video. Working with 1 pie at a time, slide the parchment onto a rimless baking sheet and then onto the stone in the oven. Bake for 8 minute without convection, then 2 more minutes with convection or until brown on top and bottom. Slide the pie onto a cooling rack and place the parchment that it was baked on underneath the rack. Immediately, brush with melted butter. Cool for 5 minutes and serve. Can be rewarmed in 350F (180C) oven. Troubleshooting Baking Issues: https://youtu.be/sOTXIpMyiYI?si=ZenItoYQ-fqapQYo&t=524 Join my Patreon Community for free to get video notifications: https://www.patreon.com/helenrennie My cooking classes in the Boston area: http://www.helenrennie.com INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/helen.rennie