Mid-Atlantic Gardening: Cookies for Christmas?, 3 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
Roses---

Please Google "Latvian Bacon rolls" and read through all the Pirags recipes and choose the one you like best.
For the meat mixture--make sure you get a good ham steak, or real smoked ham, and DRY (deli type) bacon.
NOT packaged bacon. It has that liquid slime on everything...preservatives.....Dice these and the onion as finely as you can.

Well--I spent over 6 hours yesterday making my annual batch of "Pirags". Made just over 300.
The meat mixture was already done--so not adding that to the time.
I hate the clean up--but tried to keep up with it as i went....hate washing dishes!!!!

Whenever The meat and dough does not come out even--and I have dough left over--
I make "Poppy Seed Roses".

Take the dough but you try to stretch it out in a thin rectangle--keep sides straight. Keep work surface slightly floured.
Spread softened butter all over. Then sprinkle sugar all over. Then sprinkle Poppy Seeds (can use Cinnamon as well)
all over-- and then carefully roll it up lengthwise--like a Jelly Roll.
When you get to the opposite edge--pinch it to the roll tightly so there are no leaks.
Now--stretch it a bit by rolling it around and then do this:

Using a knife--cut about 1 1/2" sections off the roll and, using your fingers--pinch one end of each slice shut.
This will open up the other side in a rosette. Place these on a cookie sheet, about 2"apart, and
spread them open a bit more.
When cookie sheet is full--smear generously with egg wash. Bake at 350* until nicely brown.
Best eaten warmed up with coffee or whatever....

I had a bit of dough left over and made 2 pans-full of these.

1--The amount of dough I had to start with--all nicely risen.
2--These are 2 cookie sheets full--just out of the oven--spread to cool.
3--ALL the finished "Pirags"--a stack 3-deep--300+ count. Did this just for you all to see...
Bagged them all up later for "distribution".....or freezing.
4--Here are the Poppy Seed Roses-- all finished.

Gita