Pyzy (Belarusian Meat-Stuffed Potato Dumplings)

  • Prep Time - 45 minutes
  • Cooking Time - 30 minutes
  • Servings: 4
  • Country: Belarus
Large potato dumplings Pyzy with brown meat filling, topped with rendered bacon and sour cream.

Pyzy is a filling dish found across Central and Eastern Europe, but the Belarusian version is characterized by its potato dough. Potatoes are traditionally used raw, giving them a specific texture, although a portion of cooked potatoes is often added for better stability.

For simplicity and dough stability, we use raw potatoes and the excess potato starch (which we press out of the liquid) as a thickener. The result should be soft on the outside, filled with a juicy meat filling inside.

Ingredients

I. Potato Dough

  • 1 kg Potatoes, raw, peeled
  • 1 pcs Egg (white only)
  • 1 tsp Salt

II. Meat Filling

  • 300 g Minced Pork (or a mix with beef)
  • 1 medium Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 to taste Salt and Black Pepper

III. For Serving

  • 100 g Smoked Bacon, diced
  • 1 to taste Sour Cream (Smietana)

Instructions

Step 1: Preparing the Filling

Sauté the onion in a little oil until translucent. Add the minced meat and cook until browned. Season with salt and pepper. Let the filling cool completely, as a hot filling could tear the dumplings.

Step 2: Preparing the Potato Dough (Raw Potatoes)

Grate the raw potatoes finely (same as for Draniki). Transfer the grated potatoes to a cheesecloth or towel and squeeze very hard to extract all the liquid. Catch the liquid in a bowl.

Let the liquid stand for 10 minutes until the starch settles at the bottom. Pour off the liquid, and add the settled potato starch (white powder/paste) back to the squeezed potatoes.

Add salt and egg white and mix quickly. The dough must be compact and easily shapeable.

Step 3: Shaping the Pyzy

Moisten your hands. Take about 1-2 tablespoons of potato dough and shape it into a disk (similar to a Draniki).

Place a teaspoon of the cooled meat filling in the center of the disk. Seal the dough around the filling with both hands and form a round dumpling, ensuring it has no cracks.

Repeat the process until all the dough/filling is used.

Step 4: Cooking and Serving

Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Carefully place the Pyzy into the boiling water (do not cook too many at once to prevent sticking).

Once the dumplings float to the surface, simmer gently for another 20-25 minutes. (The cooking time is longer due to the raw potato).

In the meantime, fry the diced bacon in a pan until crispy, optionally adding a little onion.

Remove the Pyzy with a slotted spoon, pour the rendered bacon mixture over them, and serve hot with sour cream.