Pirog (пиро́г; pyrih, pl. pyrohy пироги; ; ; , pl. pīrāgi; , pl. pyragai; ; ) is a baked case of dough with either sweet or savory filling. The dish is common in Eastern European cuisines. The name is derived from the ancient Proto-Slavic word pir, meaning "banquet" or "festivity". The Russian plural, pirogi (with the stress on the last syllable), should not be confused with pierogi (stress on "ro" in Polish and English) in Polish cuisine, which are dumplings similar to Russian pelmeni or Ukrainian varenyky.

Shape

Pirogi come in different shapes and forms: they are often oblong with tapering ends, but can also be circular or rectangular. They can be closed or open-faced with no crust on top.

Dough

Pirogi are usually made from yeast-raised dough, which distinguishes them from pies and pastries common in other cuisines. In former times, the dough for Russian pirogi was made predominantly of rye flour. Later it was mixed with wheat flour. Nowadays, mainly wheat flour is used. There are also variants made from shortcrust, flaky or puff pastry. In East-Slavic languages, pirog is a generic term which denotes virtually any kind of pie, pastry, or cake. Тhus, Karelian pastry (known as Karelian pirog in Russian), Jewish knish or charlotte cake are considered types of pirog in Eastern Europe.

Filling

The filling for pirogi may be sweet and contain tvorog or cottage cheese, fruits like apples, plums or various berries, as well as honey, nuts or poppy seeds. Savory versions may consist of meat, fish, mushrooms, cabbage, rice, buckwheat groats, or potato. In Ukrainian and Russian cuisines, pirogi (as well as their smaller versions called pirozhki) with a savory filling are traditionally served as an accompaniment with clear borscht, broth, or consommé.

Types

Certain types of pirog are known by different names: Similar West Slavic pastries, such as Czech and Slovak Kolach, and Polish Kołacz, usually have sweet fillings.