Meat and cabbage pies

Ingredients:

Dough

• 0.5 cup warm water (43°C - 45°C)
• 1 packet (7 g) of active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup milk
• 90 g unsalted butter
• 1.5 tsp coarse salt
• Special equipment: deep-frying thermometer

Filling

• 450 g of ground beef
• 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• 2.5 tsp coarse salt
• 3 cups shredded white cabbage (about half a large head)
• 2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large onion)
• 1 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted for greasing
• Ketchup, for serving

Preparation:

1. Heat the milk and butter in a small saucepan until the butter melts. Let cool to 110°F (43°C) - 115°F (45°C). In a small bowl, combine the warm water, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of sugar. Set aside until the yeast is activated and foam forms on top, about 10 minutes.
2. Dough:
   
   In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, salt, and remaining sugar. Add the foamy yeast mixture and cooled milk mixture. Turn the mixer on and knead the dough for about 5 minutes. The dough should be smooth and uniform, forming a ball that no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set it in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1.5 hours.
3. Filling:
   
   Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the ground beef and 1.5 tablespoons of salt. Brown the ground beef, stirring and breaking it up into small pieces, for about 5 minutes. Once browned, transfer it to a bowl and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil to the skillet.
4. Reduce heat to medium, add cabbage, onion, and 1 teaspoon of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes. Add the browned beef back to the pan and toss with the cabbage and onion for another 5 minutes. Season with white pepper and additional salt if needed. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
5. Preheat oven to 175°C. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
   
   
   When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and remove any excess. Scooping flour directly from the bag with a measuring cup will compact it, resulting in dry baked goods.
6. When the dough has doubled in size, punch it down and divide it into 10 equal-sized balls, approximately 100 grams each. Roll each ball into a rectangle approximately 15 x 20 cm. Place 0.5 cups of the cooled filling in the center of the rectangle. Bring the two long sides of the dough together, seam facing up, and pinch. Pinch the short ends as well. You should now have a rectangular pie.
7. Place the pie seam-side down on one of the prepared baking sheets. Repeat with the remaining 9 dough balls and filling. There should be 5 pie rolls on each baking sheet. Cover the pie rolls with a kitchen towel and let them rest for about 20 minutes. Bake in the oven until golden brown, 20-25 minutes.
8. While the pies are baking, melt the butter. As soon as you remove them from the oven, brush the tops with melted butter and serve with ketchup.
   
   

   Freezing Tips

   
   Finished pies can be cooled, frozen, and stored for up to 1 month. To reheat, remove from the freezer, cover with foil, and bake in an oven preheated to 175°C (350°F) for 20-25 minutes until heated through.