Russian

Kulebyaka

A traditional Russian yeast-raised pie filled in distinct layers of salmon, rice, mushrooms, egg, and dill, with thin blini tucked between the fillings. Sliced warm, it shows the careful layers that make kulebyaka such a special table dish.

▶Watch it madeLife of Boris · 12:49

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour1 1/2 cups
• Warm milk1/3 cup
• Active dry yeast1 tsp
• Sugar1 tsp
• Salt3/4 tsp
• Egg1 large, divided
• Unsalted butter3 tbsp, melted
• Cooked short-grain rice3/4 cup
• Fish stock or water2 tbsp
• Salmon fillet200 g
• Mushrooms120 g, finely chopped
• Yellow onion1 small, finely chopped
• Hard-boiled egg1 large, chopped
• Fresh dill2 tbsp, chopped
• Black pepper1/4 tsp
• Vegetable oil1 tbsp
• Thin unsweetened blini2 small
• Sour creamfor serving

Method

1. Stir the warm milk, yeast, and sugar together and let stand for 10 minutes until foamy.
2. Mix the flour with 1/2 teaspoon salt, then add the yeast mixture, half of the beaten egg, and 2 tablespoons melted butter.
3. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour until doubled.
4. Season the salmon with a pinch of salt and pepper, gently poach or steam it until just cooked, then cool and flake into large pieces.
5. Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the onion until soft, then add the mushrooms and cook until their moisture evaporates and they begin to brown.
6. Mix the cooked rice with the fish stock or water, 1 tablespoon melted butter, chopped dill, and a pinch of salt.
7. Season the mushroom mixture and the chopped hard-boiled egg separately with a little salt and pepper.
8. Roll the risen dough into a rectangle about 25 by 18 cm on a floured surface, keeping the edges slightly thinner than the center.
9. Lay one blini in the center of the dough, then spread on the rice layer, followed by the mushrooms, salmon, chopped egg, and the second blini on top.
10. Fold the long sides of the dough over the filling, pinch the seam and ends firmly closed, and turn the kulebyaka seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
11. Cover loosely and let proof for 20 minutes while heating the oven to 190°C.
12. Brush the pie with the remaining beaten egg and cut 2 small steam vents in the top.
13. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until deep golden brown and the dough is cooked through.
14. Rest for 10 minutes before slicing thickly and serving warm with sour cream.

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