1 1/2 cups sifted all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup butter or shortening
1 egg
1/4 cup cold water

Mix and sift dry ingredients. Cut in shortening, as you would when making a pie crust. Add egg. Gradually add enough water to hold dough together. Roll out on floured board. Cut into 5 inch squares or rounds for pirogen, or into 3 inch rounds or squares for piroshke.

Place a spoonful of filling in center of each. Pinch edges together tightly to seal in filling. Brush with melted butter or egg yolk diluted with an equal amount of water.

Triangles are formed from the squares and half moons are formed from the rounds.

Bake for 20 minutes in a preheated 375°F oven on baking sheets sprayed or brushed with oil.

Variations: Leave out the baking powder and boil the pirogen instead. We like to boil them in a broth made from a ham bone.

Optional Fillings:

Beef or ham and onion filling: Sauté in olive oil or schmaltz, 1 pound of chopped sirloin, flank steak or lean ground beef with 2 sliced onions and 3 cloves of minced garlic. Add 3 hard boiled eggs, minced and 1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds (optional) or 1 teaspoon taco seasoning.

Cheese filling: 1 (8 oz) package of soft Farmer's Cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste), 1 egg yolk, 1 large Idaho potato, peeled, cooked and mashed, 1 tablespoon fresh chives, minced.

Ricotta filling: 1 cup whole milk ricotta, 1 egg, 1/2 cup chopped baby spinach, 2 tablespoons minced parsley.