Vegetarian Runza
One of our favorite activities is searching out unique local foods, wheather it be breaded pork tenderloins in Iowa, green chili cheese fries in New Mexico, pepperoni rolls in West Virginia, or lobster rolls in Maine. When passing through Nebraska you are likely to run into the Runza Restaurant chain, which specializes in the local specality, runzas, or bierocks as they are known in Kansas and other places in the Great Plains. These are yeasted rolls filled with a savory combination of various ground meats, cabbage or saurkraut, onion and cheese. Originating in Russia, Jeff has enjoyed fried versions at both Siberian roadside stands and Moscow kiosks. Typically these savory buns (both in North America and Russia) are filled with meat and vegetables, making them out-of-bounds for a vegetarian diet. But they are delicious and we decided to take on the challenge of making a meat-free version. We are quite happy with the result of our experimentation. Note that in the following recipe we have made our own rye bread dough (based on a Burgundy cider-rye bread detailed in Nancy Silverton’s 1996 Breads from the La Brea Bakery; ISBN 978-0679409076) to encase the buckwheat-cabbage-onion-cheese filling. Traditionally a simple white wheat dough is used, but we like the extra flavor imparted by the rye. If you don’t feel like making your own, feel free to use pre-made yeast bread dough in your local restaurant freezer section. 2 tablespoon dry yeast Mix yeast with ¼ cup water and let rest until it becomes foamy. Put into large bowl with remaining 2 cups water, malt syrup, and cider. Mix in rye flour and 2 cups white flour with a wooden spoon. Mix in remaining flour ½ cup at a time until the dough begins to pull away from the side of the bowl. Mix in salt, and knead in the remaining flour ½ cup at a time. Continue kneading until the dough becomes smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise. 1 cup whole buckwheat groats While dough is rising, make the runza filling. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a 1 quart saucepan over medium-high heat. Sauté buckwheat groats until they turn golden brown. Add in stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes until all the stock has been absorbed and the buckwheat is tender. Remove from heat. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pan. Sauté onion and garlic over medium heat until they have softened and become translucent, about 5 minutes. Add in shredded cabbage, cover pan, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage has collapsed and softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. When it reaches body temperature, mix in the cooked buckwheat and shredded cheese. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Heat oven to 400° F. When the dough has doubled in volume punch it down and roll it out into a 12x18” rectangle. Spread the filling over the top and within 1” of the edge. Roll up, sealing the bottom and sides. Place into a lightly greased baking pan and bake for 40 minutes until the dough is fully cooked and had browned nicely on both the top and bottom. Remove from oven and let cool for approximately 15 minutes. Cut into slices and serve warm. Archive |
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