Russian Apricot Jam Slice (Пирог из дрожжевого теста с вареньем) is an easy rustic pie, and works best with sweet, juicy, ripe apricots. My mum made this every summer during apricot season, sometimes using the leftover apricots from Russian Apricot Piroshki. However, in this recipe we are using a homemade Apricot Jam. It's not a traditional apricot pie, as the dough is not a pastry, but made from a sweet yeast dough called 'sdobnoye' (сдобное тесто).
Russian Sweet Dough
Russian Sweet Dough is called sdobnoye (сдобное тесто). It can be made with many variations. From making Russian Pastry with Strawberries, or even a Yeast Dough Blueberry Pie, this recipe is versatile.
It's so easy to make the sweet yeast dough for this Apricot Pirog Pie recipe, using a bread maker. The dough setting is a timesaver and doesn't need me to worry about temperature or raising time. Just drop in all the ingredients, set to the dough setting, and in 90 minutes you are ready to roll out your yeast dough! I've posted both recipes instructions below.
Apricot Jam Slice, Pie or Pirog?
I had a really hard time finding an English translation for this recipe. If I called it an Apricot Pie, you would expect a typical pastry style, round, american style pie. If I called it an Open Faced Apricot Pie, then you would expect something resembling a gallete style pie. These descriptions are all correct, and translated directly as a Russian Pirog, which loosely translated to Russian Pie (which can take many forms from small hand pies to large open sheet pies, sweet or savory). So Apricot Jam Slice is the name that best describes this recipe.
I found a recipe online that closely resembled my childhood recipe that I remember. It's from a cook book called The Book of Tasty and Healthy Food (Книга о вкусной и здоровой пище) which was written by Soviet scientists, first published in 1939 then in 1952 which became a staple in the Soviet and Russian kitchens. Sometimes it’s referred to as Stalin’s cookbook. I will share their original recipe at the bottom of this post for my reader's who can read Russian.
Recipe Tips
It's always best to use a homemade jam, the more rustic the better. Do not use a jelly, the chunky apricot pieces are the best thing. If you want to use dried apricots, the recipe is in my Apricot Piroshki recipe. You could simply make a regular lattice type of covering for the Apricot Pirog Pie.
However, it's fancier to make small slices on the edges of the dough strips, so when it cooks it resembles a leafy pattern. Only slightly slice the edges of the dough on both sides, kind of resembling a Christmas tree pattern (diagonal symmetrical slices). My mum makes the lattice pattern quite widely, but you can decide how many lattice's you place on the pie.
When the Russian Apricot Jam Slice is finished baking, cut into squares and serve with a hot cup of tea. Bon Appetit! Приятного аппетита!
Ingredients
Bread Maker Dough Ingredients
- 1 cup milk lukewarm
- 2 large eggs
- 6 tablespoon sugar
- 4 tablespoons vegetable oil melted butter is better
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3⅓ cups of flour
- 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
Traditional Sweet Yeast Dough Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups lukewarm warm milk
- 1 tablespoon yeast
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups flour plus more for kneading
- 2 eggs
- 5 tablespoons oil or melted butter
Apricot Jam Slice Ingredients
- homemade apricot jam
- egg wash
Instructions
Bread Maker Instructions
- Place bread maker ingredients in the order listed (minus apricot jam and egg wash) into your bread machine and select the dough program. Takes about 90 minutes.
Traditional Sweet Yeast Dough Instructions
- Pour yeast, ½ of the lukewarm milk in a bowl and 1 tablespoon sugar. Whisk together and mix in ½ cup of flour. Allow to site for 15 minutes in a warm place until it starts to bubble and foam, then the yeast is activated.
- In a bowl, mix together 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon salt, 5 tablespoons sugar, 5 tablespoons oil. Pour into the yeast mixture and slowly add the remaining flour until it forms a dough ball. Knead on a floured surface, adding more flour if needed, for about 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place back into bowl, cover with cling wrap. Place in a warm place until it rises, about 1 ½ hours. Punch down dough, gently knead and you are ready to use.
Making Apricot Jam Slice
- Preheat oven to 325°F/160°C.
- When the dough is ready, roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface, into the shape of the baking sheet. Roll it out to about ½ cm thick, or ¼ inch thick and place on top of the parchment. Cut the edges of the dough off, and set aside for the lattice ribbons.
- Spread a layer of homemade apricot jam across the pie. The surface area of the dough should be completely covered with the apricot jam.
- With the remaining dough, roll out into thin strips the length of the pie. The strips should be about 3 cm wide, and rolled out flat, not round. For a fancier effect, slice small symmetrical cuts diagonally along the length of the dough strip (resembling a christmas tree effect). When this cooks, it will resemble a leafy vine.
- Take the egg wash and lightly brush on all the exposed dough pieces.
- Place in the the oven for about 20 minutes until the dough starts to turn golden brown. Check that the base of the pie is cooked underneath. If needed, keep in oven for another 5-10 minutes, keep checking until you are happy with it. Mine took around 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, cool and serve with tea or a glass of milk.
©PetersFoodAdventures.com
RECIPE FROM THE CLASSIC SOVIET COOKBOOK - THE BOOK OF TASTY AND HEALTHY FOOD (1952)
СЛАДКИЙ ПИРОГ ИЗ ДРОЖЖЕВОГО ТЕСТА
Сладкий пирог делают с начинкой из повидла, джема, варенья или яблок.
Готовое тесто раскатать слоем, примерно, ½ см, поместить на приготовленный противень, лист или круглую сковороду, обрезать лишнее тесто, положить начинку и загнуть края на 1 ½–2 см. Из остатков теста нарезать узкие полосы и сделать поверх начинки решетку. Полоску теста прикрепить к краям пирога яйцом. Затем поставить пирог в теплое место, чтобы он поднялся. Когда пирог поднимется, смазать верх взбитым яйцом и поставить в жаркий духовой шкаф на 20–30 минут.
Готовый пирог осторожно снять с противня, положить на бумагу, обсыпать сверху сахарной пудрой, смешанной с ванилином, нарезать, уложить на блюдо и подать.
К сладкому пирогу можно подать молоко или фруктовый сок.
