Baking from around the world has many similar recipes, kibinai with beef is no exception. These small ruddy pies are very similar in taste to oriental samsa, although in appearance they are more reminiscent of Russian pies with different types of fillings. It is very easy to prepare them if you follow the step-by-step instructions described in detail in this article, and also take into account the subtleties of molding and serving finished baked goods.
A few words about the dish
Kybyn is the ancient name of the dish, which is prepared on the basis of shortcrust pastry stuffed with meat. A more modern name is kibinai or kybin.
This simple pastry belongs to the Karaite cuisine, Lithuanian Karaites in particular, who claim that according to this recipe kibinai pies are prepared only with meat, and if another filling is used, then these pies should not be called kybyns.
The energy value of the dish is 282 calories per 100 grams of finished baking. By tradition, this type of pies is served exclusively with meat broth or liquid soup, but in no case with tea or another drink - this will be a significant violation of the rules of the Karaite culture.
Essential Products
In the original recipe for Lithuanian kibinai pies, the filling is made of lamb, much less often - beef, and if inside the cheese, vegetables or fish - this is another baking that should not be called by that name.
To prepare the national dish of Karaites you will need
- 350 grams of sour cream;
- 320 grams of butter;
- about 500 grams of wheat flour;
- a generous pinch of salt;
- two eggs.
Also, for the filling, you need to take 800 grams of ground beef and 500 grams of onions. In old kibinai recipes, onions were put exactly the same amount of meat as meat, but later the recipe was slightly changed, for which reason it is unknown.
How to make dough?
The process of kneading dough is very similar to making shortbread: the oil is slightly cooled in the freezer and rubbed on a grater, and then rubbed with flour and salt into crumbly crumb.
Next, you need to mix the eggs and sour cream in one bowl, move the mass to the powdery powder and knead the dough in your hands with your hands, trying to reduce the process to a minimum (then the dough will be more loose and crumbly when baking). The resulting lump should be wrapped in polyethylene and put in the refrigerator for half an hour or an hour, and until it comes to condition, you can prepare the stuffing. From this piece of dough should be about 12 - 14 pies, so if you need more of them, you need to double the recipe.
Cooking toppings
In traditional Lithuanian pies, lamb is used, but since it has a very specific flavor, in modern cuisine it is replaced with beef, and especially finicky ones with chicken.
In the kibinai recipe, the meat should be cut into very small pieces (like dry peas), and not chopped in a meat grinder. Old-timers claim that this is the only way to prepare the “right” kibinai.
When the meat is chopped properly, chop the onion also finely, mix with the minced meat and add 1/2 tsp to it. black pepper and salt to taste. Some put extra herbs, but they are not in the classic recipe for Lithuanian kibinai. It is recommended to add about 150 - 200 grams of slightly warm water to the minced meat and stir well, this will allow the filling to remain juicy during baking, because often the ground beef is rather dry.
If lamb and beef meat taste unpleasant to you, you can make chicken or pork stuffing, even if the traditional kibinai recipe does not welcome this. Sometimes a violation of cooking technology or product combination rules give rise to new culinary masterpieces, so it’s worth a try.
For the filling of chicken, you should take: 500 grams of fillet, 4 onions and chop everything into the smallest pieces, this can be followed by the original recipe. Then add 1/2 tsp to the minced meat. black pepper and 1 tsp. without a hill of salt. You should also add 150 grams of water to give juiciness to the filling of future pies, but if there is chicken fat from the abdomen, then you can add it, finely chopped.
How to sculpt kibinai pies?
This baking dish has a special shape, although it resembles traditional pies. The finished dough should be divided into balls, each with a diameter of about five centimeters, rolled out with a rolling pin into 1/2 cm thick cakes and put the filling (about two spoons) in the middle of each and pinch the edges in a special way:
- first connect the edges, as when sculpting dumplings, their length should be at least one centimeter;
- wrap the sharp edge (corner) of the pie inside and squeeze well;
- further, following the same principle, we form a pigtail seam: bend to one side and press, bend again, and so on to the opposite edge.
This method of molding Lithuanian pies is considered standard, although many peoples of the world can track similar pigtails on various dough products. For some, this may seem difficult at first, but if you practice, then over time the patty seam will be perfect, as in the photo.
This is not indicated in the kibina recipe, but it is better to grease a beaten egg or sour cream before baking the product, then the surface of each pie in the baking process will acquire an appetizing glossy appearance.
Bakery products
The baking sheet should be lined with parchment paper and the formed products should be laid out on it at a small distance from each other. Place the kibinai pies prepared according to the recipe in the oven, turning on the temperature mode by 180 degrees, and the oven until ready for half an hour.
It is not recommended to pierce the pie in order to check its readiness, since a lot of juice is formed inside, which can leak through the puncture and the pie will become dry. Finished products are served warm, but not hot, since you can burn yourself with juice inside. You can cool them a bit by spreading them on a wire rack.
For those who don't like shortcrust pastry
Even if you really want to follow the traditions and cook strictly according to the recipe, sometimes you have to slightly change it for various reasons: for some, the dough is too high in calories, for someone it’s dry, you want softer or less fat.
In the case of Lithuanian pies, you can replace sour cream with yogurt or kefir in the test. The dough will be more tender, soft, so you need to slightly change the proportions of products for 600 grams of the finished filling:
- 550 grams of wheat flour;
- 250 grams of yogurt;
- 125 grams of butter;
- 1 egg + protein in the dough, and leave the yolk to grease the pies before baking.
The dough is kneaded according to the standard method, replacing sour cream curdled milk. After kneading, you do not need to place it in the refrigerator, just leave it on the table, covering it with a clean towel or cloth. Forming and baking is carried out according to the basic principle, which is described above.
Enjoy your meal!