Pan-fried cheese pies (yeast dough)
I made these pies one afternoon after I saw that I had some cheese and a stray piece of cheese in the fridge. I kneaded the dough in the bread machine to keep it simple, but it also turns out well by hand, just takes a bit longer. The recipe goes very quickly once the dough has risen. The pies come out thin, with salty cheese in the middle, perfect warm straight from the pan.
Quick info
Total time: about 2 hours (including rising)
Preparation time: 20-30 minutes active
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes, depending on the number of batches
Servings: 8-10 pies, depending on how big you make them
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: homemade pan-fried pies, quick snack, light lunch or dinner
Ingredients
For the dough:
500 g flour
300 ml water
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon raw sugar
1 teaspoon dry yeast
For the filling:
100 g salty cheese
1 cube of cheese (approx. 40-50 g), grated
1 egg
Preparation method
1. Kneading the dough
If you have a bread machine, put all the dough ingredients directly into the bowl, set it to knead and rise. If doing it by hand, sift the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle. Dissolve the yeast in a little warm water, add the salt and sugar, then pour this mixture into the center of the flour. Add the oil. Start incorporating the flour, gradually adding the rest of the water. Knead until you have a smooth, slightly elastic dough. If needed, sprinkle a little extra flour.
2. Rising
Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume. Depending on the kitchen temperature, this can take anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes.
3. Preparing the filling
While the dough is rising, crumble the cheese into a bowl. Add the grated cheese and the beaten egg. Mix well until combined. Set the filling aside.
4. Shaping the pies
Sprinkle flour on the work surface. Turn out the risen dough and divide it into pieces about the size of a fist (8-10 pieces, depending on your preferred size). Take each piece, roll it out with a rolling pin into a thin sheet. Place a good teaspoon of filling in the center.
5. Folding and final rolling
Fold the edges of the dough over the filling, like an envelope, then flatten slightly with your hand. Take the rolling pin again and gently roll out each pie, without letting the filling spill out. The layers should be as thin as possible but not tear.
6. Cooking in the pan
Place a pan over medium heat and let it get hot (without oil). Arrange 3-4 pies at a time, depending on how many fit. Keep the pan moving lightly, like with pancakes – don’t let them sit still, to avoid burning. After a few minutes, flip the pies and cook the other side until golden. It takes about 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the pies and how hot the fire is.
7. Cooling
Remove the pies onto a cutting board or a rack, and let them cool slightly. Don’t cover them immediately, so they don’t get too soft.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s a recipe I return to because it’s flexible and doesn’t require complicated ingredients. The dough is made from what you always have on hand, and the filling can be adjusted according to taste or what you have in the fridge. They prepare quickly and are good both warm and at room temperature.
Tips and variations
Tips
1. If kneading by hand, be patient with the dough – the more you work it, the more elastic it becomes.
2. Don’t overfill the pies, to avoid spilling during cooking.
3. The pan must be well heated, but not on very high heat – otherwise, they burn on the outside and remain raw inside.
4. Don’t cover the pies immediately after taking them out, to avoid sweating.
Substitutions
1. Olive oil can be replaced with another neutral oil.
2. Salty cheese can be replaced with telemea, feta, or any aged cheese you have.
3. If you don’t have cheese, leave it out or use a bit of melted cheese for texture.
4. Raw sugar can be replaced with white sugar; its role is just to help with rising.
Variations
1. You can add herbs (dill or parsley) to the filling.
2. The filling can also be made with other cheeses or combinations with potatoes, meat, or mushrooms.
3. If you like something spicier, add a bit of chopped chili to the mixture.
4. The dough can also handle a bit of seeds, but the pies will become denser.
Serving ideas
1. They are good warm, but also cold, for lunch or picnic.
2. They go well with a simple salad, next to yogurt, or as a quick snack.
3. Some prefer to serve them drizzled with a little sour cream.
4. They can also be eaten with a cold beer, if you’re in the mood.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use store-bought dough?
I don’t recommend it, because homemade risen dough is fluffier and doesn’t have additives.
2. If I don’t have dry yeast, can I use fresh?
Yes, use about 15 g of fresh yeast and dissolve it well before adding it.
3. Can they be baked in the oven?
The original recipe is for the pan, but you can also try baking them at 200°C, on baking paper. They will have a different texture, more like stuffed rolls.
4. Can I let the dough rise overnight?
Yes, but let it rise in the fridge, covered, and take it out to room temperature at least an hour before working with it.
5. Can I freeze the pies?
The baked pies don’t freeze very well, as they become softer when thawed. It’s better to make them fresh.
Nutritional values (estimates)
An average pie has about 180-220 kcal, depending on the filling and how big you make it. Macros for one piece:
Carbohydrates: 32-35 g
Proteins: 6-8 g
Fats: 5-7 g
The values are approximate, varying according to the cheese used and how much oil you add during kneading.
Storage and reheating
The pies are best on the day they are made. They can be stored for a day or two in a clean towel at room temperature. If you want to reheat them, put them in a pan for a few minutes on low heat, without oil, to regain their texture. They can dry out in the oven, and in the microwave, they become softer. I don’t recommend long-term storage or freezing.
I made these pies one afternoon after I saw that I had some cheese and a stray piece of cheese in the fridge. I kneaded the dough in the bread machine to keep it simple, but it also turns out well by hand, just takes a bit longer. The recipe goes very quickly once the dough has risen. The pies come out thin, with salty cheese in the middle, perfect warm straight from the pan.
Quick info
Total time: about 2 hours (including rising)
Preparation time: 20-30 minutes active
Cooking time: 20-25 minutes, depending on the number of batches
Servings: 8-10 pies, depending on how big you make them
Difficulty: medium
Recipe type: homemade pan-fried pies, quick snack, light lunch or dinner
Ingredients
For the dough:
500 g flour
300 ml water
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon raw sugar
1 teaspoon dry yeast
For the filling:
100 g salty cheese
1 cube of cheese (approx. 40-50 g), grated
1 egg
Preparation method
1. Kneading the dough
If you have a bread machine, put all the dough ingredients directly into the bowl, set it to knead and rise. If doing it by hand, sift the flour into a large bowl. Make a well in the middle. Dissolve the yeast in a little warm water, add the salt and sugar, then pour this mixture into the center of the flour. Add the oil. Start incorporating the flour, gradually adding the rest of the water. Knead until you have a smooth, slightly elastic dough. If needed, sprinkle a little extra flour.
2. Rising
Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in volume. Depending on the kitchen temperature, this can take anywhere from 45 to 60 minutes.
3. Preparing the filling
While the dough is rising, crumble the cheese into a bowl. Add the grated cheese and the beaten egg. Mix well until combined. Set the filling aside.
4. Shaping the pies
Sprinkle flour on the work surface. Turn out the risen dough and divide it into pieces about the size of a fist (8-10 pieces, depending on your preferred size). Take each piece, roll it out with a rolling pin into a thin sheet. Place a good teaspoon of filling in the center.
5. Folding and final rolling
Fold the edges of the dough over the filling, like an envelope, then flatten slightly with your hand. Take the rolling pin again and gently roll out each pie, without letting the filling spill out. The layers should be as thin as possible but not tear.
6. Cooking in the pan
Place a pan over medium heat and let it get hot (without oil). Arrange 3-4 pies at a time, depending on how many fit. Keep the pan moving lightly, like with pancakes – don’t let them sit still, to avoid burning. After a few minutes, flip the pies and cook the other side until golden. It takes about 3-4 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of the pies and how hot the fire is.
7. Cooling
Remove the pies onto a cutting board or a rack, and let them cool slightly. Don’t cover them immediately, so they don’t get too soft.
Why I make this recipe often
It’s a recipe I return to because it’s flexible and doesn’t require complicated ingredients. The dough is made from what you always have on hand, and the filling can be adjusted according to taste or what you have in the fridge. They prepare quickly and are good both warm and at room temperature.
Tips and variations
Tips
1. If kneading by hand, be patient with the dough – the more you work it, the more elastic it becomes.
2. Don’t overfill the pies, to avoid spilling during cooking.
3. The pan must be well heated, but not on very high heat – otherwise, they burn on the outside and remain raw inside.
4. Don’t cover the pies immediately after taking them out, to avoid sweating.
Substitutions
1. Olive oil can be replaced with another neutral oil.
2. Salty cheese can be replaced with telemea, feta, or any aged cheese you have.
3. If you don’t have cheese, leave it out or use a bit of melted cheese for texture.
4. Raw sugar can be replaced with white sugar; its role is just to help with rising.
Variations
1. You can add herbs (dill or parsley) to the filling.
2. The filling can also be made with other cheeses or combinations with potatoes, meat, or mushrooms.
3. If you like something spicier, add a bit of chopped chili to the mixture.
4. The dough can also handle a bit of seeds, but the pies will become denser.
Serving ideas
1. They are good warm, but also cold, for lunch or picnic.
2. They go well with a simple salad, next to yogurt, or as a quick snack.
3. Some prefer to serve them drizzled with a little sour cream.
4. They can also be eaten with a cold beer, if you’re in the mood.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use store-bought dough?
I don’t recommend it, because homemade risen dough is fluffier and doesn’t have additives.
2. If I don’t have dry yeast, can I use fresh?
Yes, use about 15 g of fresh yeast and dissolve it well before adding it.
3. Can they be baked in the oven?
The original recipe is for the pan, but you can also try baking them at 200°C, on baking paper. They will have a different texture, more like stuffed rolls.
4. Can I let the dough rise overnight?
Yes, but let it rise in the fridge, covered, and take it out to room temperature at least an hour before working with it.
5. Can I freeze the pies?
The baked pies don’t freeze very well, as they become softer when thawed. It’s better to make them fresh.
Nutritional values (estimates)
An average pie has about 180-220 kcal, depending on the filling and how big you make it. Macros for one piece:
Carbohydrates: 32-35 g
Proteins: 6-8 g
Fats: 5-7 g
The values are approximate, varying according to the cheese used and how much oil you add during kneading.
Storage and reheating
The pies are best on the day they are made. They can be stored for a day or two in a clean towel at room temperature. If you want to reheat them, put them in a pan for a few minutes on low heat, without oil, to regain their texture. They can dry out in the oven, and in the microwave, they become softer. I don’t recommend long-term storage or freezing.