Special Family Russian Recipe

Activate yeast

In a small bowl, combine warm water (1 cup), warm milk (1 cup), sugar (2 tbsp) and yeast (2 tsp). Stir gently and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy. If it doesn't foam, the yeast may be inactive—start over with fresh yeast.

Mix dough

In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine 2 cups of the flour and the salt (1 tsp). Add the foamy yeast mixture, melted butter (4 tbsp) and eggs (2). Mix on low until incorporated, then gradually add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft, slightly tacky dough forms (you may not need all 4 cups).

Knead

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead 6–8 minutes by hand until smooth and elastic (or knead 4–6 minutes in a stand mixer on medium). The dough should be supple and slightly tacky but not sticky; add up to 2 tbsp more flour if excessively sticky.

First rise

Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1¼ hours.

Cook aromatics

While the dough rises, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion (1 cup) and cook 5–7 minutes until softened and starting to turn golden. Add the minced garlic (3 cloves) and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant.

Cook meat

Add the ground beef (1 lb) to the skillet. Break it up with a spoon and cook until browned, about 6–8 minutes. Drain excess fat if necessary.

Season & combine

Stir in cooked rice (1 cup), sour cream (1/2 cup), chopped dill (2 tbsp), salt (1 tsp), black pepper (1/2 tsp) and paprika (1 tsp). Cook 2–3 minutes to meld flavors and warm the rice. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and let cool to warm (not hot) before filling dough—about 15–20 minutes.

Divide dough

When the dough has doubled, punch it down and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into 8 equal pieces for large buns (or 12 smaller ones). Shape each piece into a round and let rest 10 minutes, covered, to relax the gluten.

Fill buns

Flatten each dough round into a 4–5 inch circle. Place about 2–3 tbsp of the cooled filling in the center of each circle. Gather the edges up and pinch to seal, forming a round or slightly oval bun. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment, spacing about 1–2 inches apart.

Second rise

Cover the filled buns loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise in a warm place until puffy, about 30–40 minutes.

Egg wash & seeds

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Whisk together egg yolk (1) and 1 tbsp milk. Gently brush each bun with the egg wash. Optionally sprinkle sesame seeds (1 tbsp) on top. For a softer, shiny finish, brush buns with 2 tbsp melted butter immediately after removing from the oven.

Bake

Bake in the preheated oven for 18–22 minutes, or until tops are golden brown and internal temperature of the buns registers about 190°F (88°C). Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color.

Cool

Remove buns from oven and brush with melted butter (2 tbsp). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool 10–15 minutes before serving so filling sets but buns remain warm.