Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 300 ml warm milk (100–105°F / 38–41°C)
- 7 g instant or active dry yeast (2¼ tsp), 1 Tbsp sugar, 1 tsp fine salt
- 1 large egg, 60 g unsalted butter (melted), 500 g all-purpose flour (about 4 cups)
- 500 g salmon or pike-perch (skinless, boneless), 1 large onion, 100 g rice (½ cup), 30 g butter
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill, 1 tsp fine salt, ½ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp lemon zest (optional)
- 1 cup (240 ml) fish stock, 1 bay leaf, 3 peppercorns
- Egg wash: 1 egg + 1 Tbsp milk
Do This
- 1) Whisk warm milk, sugar, and yeast; rest 5–10 min. Add egg and melted butter. Mix in flour and salt; knead 8–10 min to a soft dough.
- 2) Rise, covered, until doubled, 60–75 min.
- 3) Cook rice to al dente (8–10 min); sauté onion in butter. Cool. Dice fish 1 cm; mix with rice, onion, dill, salt, pepper, zest. Keep chilled.
- 4) Heat fish stock with bay leaf and peppercorns; keep hot. Divide dough into 12 (about 65 g each); rest 10 min.
- 5) Roll ovals (12×8 cm). Add 2 heaping Tbsp filling. Pinch long edges to make boat shapes with a 2–3 cm “window.” Proof 20–25 min. Brush egg wash.
- 6) Bake at 200°C/400°F: 10 min, spoon 1 Tbsp hot stock into each opening, then bake 8–12 min more until deep golden. Rest 5 min; garnish with dill.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Classic Russian bakery flavor: tender, enriched dough with a juicy fish-and-rice center.
- The open “window” looks beautiful and lets you moisten with hot broth for extra succulence.
- Great make-ahead potential: dough rests nicely, and the pies freeze well.
- Flexible: use salmon for richness or lean pike-perch for a lighter take.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 large onion, fresh dill, 1 lemon (for zest, optional)
- Dairy: Milk, unsalted butter, eggs
- Pantry: All-purpose flour, sugar, fine salt, black pepper, instant/active dry yeast, rice, fish stock (or fish trimmings), bay leaf, whole peppercorns, salmon or pike-perch
Full Ingredients
Enriched Yeast Dough (makes 12 rasstegai)
- 300 ml warm whole milk (100–105°F / 38–41°C)
- 7 g instant or active dry yeast (2¼ tsp)
- 1 Tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 large egg (50 g, room temperature)
- 60 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 500 g all-purpose flour (about 4 cups, spooned and leveled), plus extra for dusting
- 1 tsp neutral oil for greasing the bowl (optional)
Fish-and-Rice Filling
- 500 g salmon or pike-perch, skinless and boneless, cut into 1 cm cubes
- 100 g uncooked rice (½ cup), rinsed
- 1 large onion (about 200 g), finely diced
- 30 g unsalted butter (2 Tbsp)
- 2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill (plus extra for garnish)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt (or to taste)
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest (optional)
For Brushing & Moistening
- 1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp milk (egg wash)
- 240 ml (1 cup) low-sodium fish stock or quick broth (see Step 4)
- 1 bay leaf and 3 whole peppercorns (for the broth)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make a soft, enriched dough
In a large bowl, whisk warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit until foamy, 5–10 minutes. Whisk in the egg and melted butter. Add 1 cup of the flour and stir to a smooth batter. Add the salt, then gradually add the remaining flour until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms. Knead on a lightly floured surface for 8–10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Grease a bowl, add the dough, turn to coat, and cover.
Step 2: First rise
Let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, 60–75 minutes. If your kitchen is cool, place the bowl in an unheated oven with the light on.
Step 3: Cook rice and prepare the filling
Meanwhile, bring a small pot of salted water to a boil. Add rinsed rice and cook until just al dente, 8–10 minutes. Drain and spread on a plate to steam-dry and cool completely.
In a skillet, melt 30 g butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until translucent and sweet, 6–8 minutes; cool. In a bowl, combine the cooled rice, onion, cubed fish, dill, salt, pepper, and lemon zest (if using). Toss gently to keep the fish in neat cubes. Refrigerate until needed; a cool filling helps the pies hold their shape.
Step 4: Make hot fish broth
For extra moisture, heat 240 ml (1 cup) fish stock with 1 bay leaf and 3 peppercorns. Simmer 5 minutes, then keep hot on very low heat. If you do not have stock, simmer fish trimmings in lightly salted water for 15 minutes, strain, and keep hot.
Step 5: Portion and pre-shape
Punch down the risen dough. Turn out and form a log. Divide into 12 equal pieces (about 65 g each). Shape each into a tight ball. Cover and rest 10 minutes so the gluten relaxes.
Step 6: Fill and shape the rasstegai
Line two baking sheets with parchment. Working one piece at a time, roll into an oval about 12×8 cm (roughly 5×3 inches), 3–4 mm thick. Place 2 heaping tablespoons of filling in the center. Bring the long edges up and pinch firmly along the seam to form a boat, leaving a 2–3 cm (1 inch) open “window” so the filling shows. Pinch the ends to a point. Transfer to the sheets, leaving space between pieces. Cover and proof until slightly puffy, 20–25 minutes.
Step 7: Egg wash, bake, and moisten with broth
Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F with a rack in the center. Brush exposed dough with egg wash, avoiding the filling. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the trays briefly and carefully spoon 1 Tbsp (15 ml) hot fish broth into each opening. Return to the oven and bake 8–12 minutes more, until deep golden and the fish is opaque and just cooked (internal temp about 63°C/145°F for salmon). If the tops brown too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last few minutes.
Step 8: Rest, garnish, and serve
Cool 5 minutes so juices settle. Spoon an additional 1 tsp hot broth into each, if desired. Sprinkle with a little fresh dill and serve warm. Offer extra hot broth at the table for dipping or drizzling.
Pro Tips
- Keep the filling cold so the fish stays in neat cubes and the dough is easy to handle.
- Rice should be just al dente; overcooked rice can turn mushy inside the pies.
- Pinch seams firmly and leave a clear “window” to prevent leaks and to accommodate the broth.
- Use parchment so the bottoms don’t over-brown and to make cleanup easy.
- For extra gloss, brush a second, very light coat of egg wash midway through baking—only on dough, never on the filling.
Variations
- Lean and delicate: Use pike-perch and add 1 Tbsp sour cream to the filling for extra tenderness.
- Earthy twist: Replace rice with cooked buckwheat groats (grechka) for a classic Slavic flavor.
- Festive finish: After baking, spoon a little broth in the opening and top with a ½ tsp of salmon roe just before serving.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerate baked rasstegai in an airtight container for up to 2 days; reheat at 160°C/325°F for 10–12 minutes, adding a teaspoon of hot broth to refresh. Freeze baked pies up to 2 months; reheat from frozen at 160°C/325°F for 18–22 minutes. To make ahead unbaked, shape and freeze on a tray until firm, then bag. Bake from frozen at 190°C/375°F for 25–28 minutes, adding hot broth at the 12-minute mark.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approx. per rasstegai (1 of 12, with salmon): 320 calories; 14 g protein; 12 g fat; 38 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 560 mg sodium. Values will be lower with pike-perch.
