Ватрушки (Vatrushka)

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
60ml (¼ cup) water
2 tbsp sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
250g (2 cups) plain (all-purpose) wheat flour
1 egg, separated
60ml (¼ cup) milk
⅓ tsp salt
2 tsp unsalted butter

For the Filling:
1 tbsp unsalted butter
500g (1 lb) fresh unsalted cheese (curds, farmers cheese, cottage cheese) or ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour
¼ tsp salt
chopped raisins of other dry fruit (apricots, prunes, cranberries etc.) [just a small amount; optional].

Additional butter to be used after baking.

Method:

Begin with the Dough: Heat water to 43°C (110°F) then mix in 1 tbsp of sugar, the yeast, and 60g (½ cup) of sifted flour. Stir well, cover, and set aside in a warm place for about an hour. The mixture should develop a lot of bubbles and rise appreciably.

Heat milk to 43°C (110°F) and add to the flour mix. Stir in the egg white, salt, and the remaining sugar. Gradually add the sifted flour whilst stirring constantly in one direction (a wooden spatula is preferred).

Whilst stirring, keep your spatula close to the centre of the mixing bowl instead of rubbing the sides of the bowl with it. When the dough becomes too dense to stir with the spatula, start kneading it by hand while adding small amounts of flour at a time. By the end a ball of dough with a smooth surface that has just enough flour to prevent it from sticking to your hands will form. Don’t use more flour than might at first seem necessary.

Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume. After that, knock it back and let it rise one more time.

In the meantime, prepare the Filling: Melt the butter without making it hot (a microwave is good), and then mix all the ingredients. Note: if you are using fresh cheese that has lots of water in it such as cottage cheese, squeeze the water out using a mesh strainer or cheesecloth beforehand.

To assemble the vatrushkas: Dust your work surface with flour and roll out the dough to about 6mm (¼ in) thick. Cut out circles about 12.5cm (5 in) in diameter (you can use a tea saucer for that). If desired, you could also cut the dough into squares instead. If you opt for the round shape, you would have to re-knead and reuse the dough left between the circles (but this is more traditional). At the very least you should try to cut as many circles as possible out of each sheet of dough to maximise your efficiency.

Arrange ½–1 tbsp of filling in the centre of each circle (the exact amount depends on your vatrushka size and your personal preferences). Do not overfill! Carefully roll up the edges to form neat, smooth, and even walls about 20mm (4/5 in) in height. Carefully smooth the surface of the filling making sure it is even and fills the entire space.

In the meantime, pre-heat your oven to 200°C (400°F). Lightly grease a baking tray. Arrange the vatrushkas on this, making sure they are some distance apart so they don't stick together when the dough expand. Set aside to raise in a warm place for 15 minutes.

Melt the butter without making it hot (a microwave is best) then beat with the egg yolk to form a glaze. Brush this over the dough of the risen vatrushkas. Set aside to rise for 10 minutes more then carefully puncture the surface of the dough in two or three places with the tines of a sharp fork (do not puncture all the way through). Transfer to the centre of your pre-heated oven.

Bake for 15-25 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling has developed a golden crust and is set. Remove from the oven and allow the vatrushkas cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.