Bichak

Description

Bichak (stuffed baked tricorners) are popular appetizers for tea or coffee hour. The pumpkin and jam stuffings are on the sweet side while meat and cheese are savory and could be eaten for lunches with salad and dish of yoghurt. An added attraction is that they may be prepared in large quantities, cooled and frozen for the future.

• Makes 48 to 50 bichak.

Ingredients

Dough

• 1½ cup (about) water, warm
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 pkt (¼ oz, 7 grams) dry yeast
• 3½ cup flour
• 3 tbsp corn oil
• 1 egg, separated
• 1 egg yolk, beaten with ½ tsp corn oil

Squash, calabaza, or pumpkin stuffing

• ¼ cup corn oil
• 2 medium (2 cups) onions, chopped
• 1 cup water, hot and ¼ t salt
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 lb butternut squash, calabaza, or pumpkin

Meat stuffing

• 2 tbsp corn oil
• 3 medium (2 cups) onion, chopped
• 1 lb ground beef or lamb
• ½ tsp salt, or to taste
• ¼ tsp pepper, peeled and cut into ½-in pieces

Cheese stuffing

• 1 lb farmer's cheese
• 1 egg yolk, beaten
• 3 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Jam stuffing

• 1 cup strawberry, grape or prune jam (lekach)
• 2 tbsp bread crumbs

Directions

Squash, calabaza, or pumpkin stuffing

1. Heat oil in a pan, add onions, and saute over moderate heat until onions turn golden.
2. Add water, salt, sugar, and squash or calabaza or pumpkin and bring to a boil.
3. Cover pan and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes as squash / calabaza / pumpkin becomes soft and disintegrates.
4. Stir now and then, which in effect mashes contents.
5. Continue last minutes of cooking, uncovered, to evaporate all liquid and create and thick jam.
6. The mash is still moist.

Meat stuffing

1. Heat oil in a skillet and brown onions lightly over moderate heat.
2. Add meat, salt, and pepper and stir-fry for 5 minutes, making certain liquid has evaporated and mixture is dry.
3. Cool.

Cheese stuffing

1. Mix everything together.
2. Set aside.

Jam stuffing

1. Mix jam and crumbs together.
2. Set aside.

Prepare tricorners

1. Mix ½ cup warm water, sugar, and yeast together and proof in a warm place until mixture foams, about 10 minutes.
2. Make a well in flour, add yeast mixture, oil, and 1 egg white, and stir them into flour.
3. Add balance of water, or enough water to prepare a soft dough.
4. Knead for several minutes and roll into a ball.
5. oil top lightly and leave dough in mixing bowl.
6. Cover bowl with foil or a towel and let rise for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
7. Punch down dough ball.
8. Pull off about ½ cup of dough and roll into a slightly flattened ball.
9. Prepare 6 balls.
10. On well-floured board roll out each ball, 1 at a time, to 12" pancake.
11. Using empty can or a cookie cutter, 3" in diameter, cut out circles in pancake.
12. Put 1 tbsp of whichever stuffing you are using, or variety of stuffings, in center of each circle.
13. Fold over right and left side of circle to meet in the center and bring up bottom to cover stuffing.
14. Pinch ends together to form tricorner pastry. Seal in contents.
15. Paint tops of bichak with egg yolk.
16. Line baking pan or cookie sheet with lightly oiled aluminum foil.
17. Place tricorners on foil and bake in a preheated 350°F.
18. Oven for about 40 minutes, or until brown.Serve warm.

Note

Cool bichak, store in plastic bags, and freeze. To serve, thaw out frozen bichak for ½ hour and heat in preheated 350°F oven for 5-10 minutes.