Deep Dive: "Dough with stuff in it"
Every region and culture seems to have a version of dough with stuff in it. And they're all delicious.
A friend of mine requested that I write about “dough with stuff in it” (meat, cheese or other dairy, and/or vegetables) because just about every region and culture has some version of dough stuffed with something delicious (sweet or savory).
Here are a few iterations of “dough with stuff in it”:
Dumplings: Dumplings are thought to have originated in China, perhaps as a way to stretch meat and vegetables to feed more people. As we’ve already established, I’m a fan of dumplings. According to my very deep research on the history of dumplings, they’re considered by some to be a symbol of wealth and prosperity, possibly because they resemble a type of money once used in China.
Ravioli: Ravioli, of course, came from Italy. There are references to ravioli in text dating back to the 14th century, so the existence of ravioli is not exactly breaking news, sorry. They’re typically filled with meat and/or cheese and are often covered in tomato sauce, but can also be seen hanging out in various soups (see also: wontons). Ravioli are sometimes squares, sometimes circles. You never see, say, octagonal ravioli.
Empanadas: Empanadas are thought to have originated in Spain. Fun fact: the name “empanada” comes from the Spanish word empanar, which means “to bread.” Because empanadas are, yes, dough filled with meat or sometimes cheese, typically seen in a half-circle shape.
Pierogies: Also circular in shape, the pierogi comes to us via central/eastern/southeastern Europe and is typically filled with potatoes and sometimes cheese or other fillings, like sauerkraut or mushrooms. They’re often served with butter and/or sour cream. Personally, I associate pierogies with the many Ukrainian and Polish restaurants in New York City that serve these delicious pillows of doughy goodness. “Boiled or fried?” I can still hear the waitress ask me just before I tucked into a plate of late-night pierogies in the East Village.
Samosas: The Indian version of “dough with stuff in it” supposedly originated in the Middle East region. The word samosa derives from the Middle Persian word sanbosag, or triangular pastry. They’re typically filled with potatoes, onions, and peas. They’re very good with some chutney on the side; you’ll often see them served with cilantro chutney and tamarind chutney.
Egg rolls: You might think egg rolls originated in China, but my cursory Googling tells me they in fact were developed in American Chinese restaurants. They’re typically filled with shredded cabbage, chopped meats, and vegetables, and are fried. Egg rolls are often eaten with duck sauce, which does not contain duck but is rather called this because it’s a condiment served with duck (and egg rolls).
Calzones: Another one from Italy, the calzone dates back to the 18th century. In the United States, I feel the calzone is the poor, misunderstood cousin of the slice of folded-in-half pizza. Why?! Calzones are perfectly portable and delicious. Let’s make calzones cool!
Spanokopita: I hesitated on whether or not to include these because they’re more of an open-dough situation than something encased in dough, but whatever, they’re also incredibly scrumptious (sorry, I am running out of synonyms for “delicious” and I don’t want to use “yummy”). They come from Greece and they use a lot of spinach, which you wouldn’t think would make for such a successful dish, but it works.
Blintzes: Another entry from the Eastern European area, blintzes came from the Jewish community — in particular, the Ashkenazi Jews. It’s similar to a crepe or pancake, but it’s rolled up and stuffed with sweetened cheese; sometimes there is fruit involved. The word blintz comes from the Yiddish word blintse which comes from a Slavic word that means pancake.
Knishes: Knishes also come to us by way of the Ashkenazi Jews. These are usually square, but sometimes you’ll see round ones. Like pierogies, they’re often stuffed with potato, but sometimes they’re filled with kasha (buckwheat) or even cheese. I feel like the hot dog and pretzel carts in New York City used to sell knishes but none of them do anymore. I once asked a guy why this was and he mumbled something about the expense. I definitely associate these with classic Jewish delis. Knishes pair beautifully with Dr. Brown’s Soda, preferably Cel-Ray.
Meat pies: I tend to think of these as being Jamaican, but they’re also popular in Nigeria, Australia, and England. The “meat” in meat pies can be beef or pork, or heck, you could probably make a vegetarian version with Beyond Meat and I bet it would be halfway decent.
Pigs in a blanket: Tiny hot dogs wrapped in dough, the quintessential party food. Often eaten with mustard.
Profiteroles: And now, the sweet stuff! Profiteroles come from the French and are also known as cream puffs or chou à la crème. Sometimes they’re drizzled with chocolate. I mean, DAMN.
Cannoli: These are Italian pastries stuffed with sweet ricotta. Sometimes you’ll find them studded with chocolate chips or with a chocolate pastry shell. Mangia!
What did I forget? What’s your favorite type of “dough with stuff in it”?
Got a new snack you’d like me to write about? Let me know!
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Devastated that the American delicacy Hot Pocket did not make this list.
My personal favorite will always be Pierogi, despite never being able to spell it correctly on the first try. I was introduced to something called a Pastelillo when I moved to Philadelphia, which is a Spanish dough-with-stuff-in-it much like an empanada. The spot where I got pastelillos always served them deep fried and usually filled with ground beef, cheese whiz, and onions (I'm sure this was a Philly take on whatever the Spanish tradition is).