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Belish (Pagach)

Slovak recipe based on Pagach.

2 batches

Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Ethan ChlebowskiBy Ethan Chlebowski
Photography by Ethan Chlebowski

Over the years my grandma on my dad's side made plenty of Polish and Slovak comfort foods. Belish is one of our family's favorite recipes from my gram. It's based on a pagach recipe, which is a bread stuffed with potatoes, rolled out and baked though I'm not sure how we got the name over the years. Also, be sure to add plenty of butter!

Ethan Chlebowski

Ethan Chlebowski

CREATOR

Ingredients

  • The dough

    • flour
      600 g
    • milk
      320 g
    • butter
      , melted
      113 g1 stick
    • sugar
      100 g
    • instant yeast
      12 g
    • salt
      12 g
    • eggs
      , beaten
      2
  • Potato filling

    • monterrey jack cheese
      113 g
    • cheddar
      113 g
    • russet potatoes
      , peeled
      8
    • salt
      to taste

Method

Step 1: Activate the yeast & prepare potatoes

Warm the milk in the microwave until luke-warm (100°F/38°C). Add the instant yeast and stir together. Set aside and let activate for 5-10 minutes.

Mix the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, remove the skin from the potatoes and cube them up.

Step 2: Mix the dough & let it rest

Pour the yeast and milk into the dry ingredients.

Add in the melted butter and beaten eggs. Mix the dough together with your hands until a shaggy dough forms. It will be very sticky. Put saran wrap over the bowl and let rest for 20-30 minutes.

Step 3: Boil & mash the potatoes

While the dough is resting, add the potatoes to a pot and cover with water.

Bring them to a and continue to cook until they can easily be mashed with a fork.

Strain the potatoes off and add them back to the pot. Mash the potatoes and incorporate the cheese Taste them. Add salt as needed. Let cool.

Step 4: Knead the dough

With dough rested, add flour to the work surface.

Turn the dough onto the floured counter and by hand for at least 10 minutes. Set a timer if needed.

After kneading, the dough ball should be completely smooth. Add the dough to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled, around 45-60 minutes.

Step 5: Add the potato filling & flatten the belish

When the dough doubles, turn it out and cut into two pieces.

Flatten the dough by hand and thin out the edges. Add half of the potato filling and fold the sides up around the dough like a large dumpling. Do the same with the other piece of dough. Let rest for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400°F/ 204°C.

Using your hands, flatten the potato filled dough until about 1 inch thick. Move each of the belish to a buttered baking sheeting. Using a rolling pin, flatten the belish until it is about 1/2 inch thick.

Step 6: Bake the belish

Add the belish to the oven and for 10 minutes.

Take it out and flip the belish. Rub butter on the top layer. Add back to the oven and for 10 more minutes.

Flip and rub more butter on the top. Add a sprinkle of flakey salt. Cut into squares with a pizza cutter and enjoy.

LET'S COOK!

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