Trapped in our homes for weeks and months on end, we’ve all had to come up with ways to occupy our minds (if not so much our bodies). I’ve been cooking, baking, and writing…in between half-ass attempts to literally get off my ass and exercise–which of late consists of me taking my mom (with her walker) and my dog Violet for their daily turn around the neighborhood–by neighborhood I mean a two-block radius.

I’ve also been binge watching various series on Netflix, Hulu, and Prime Video–discovering new offerings and revisiting favorites–one of which is Killing Eve. If you haven’t seen it before, I highly recommend it. Although, be warned, it is addictive and very bingeable–all three seasons of it.

In fact, Rina has become so obsessed (with the series, its actors, writers, directors, showrunners, etc.) we’ve all lost count of how many times she’s actually watched it, particularly Season Three, not to mention all the videos of Q & A’s with the cast, creator Phoebe Waller-Bridge (of Fleabag fame), showrunners, and writers posted on YouTube and social media.

At the heart of our mutual love and obsession (well, more Rina than me) with the series, I think, is the dynamic interplay between its three main characters played by three powerhouse woman–Sandra Oh as the titular Eve Polastri, Jodie Comer as psychotic Russian assassin extraordinaire Villanelle, and Fiona Shaw as MI6 Head of Russia Section Carolyn Martens–and of course, the brilliant writing, which the show’s superb cast (including the great Kim Bodnia and Harriet Walter) execute with pitch perfect precision.

Killing Eve’s captivating visual style, bold, often ironic soundtrack, and underlying razor-sharp, dark humor–sometimes playfully cheeky, sometimes dry as a gin martini–are what sets it apart from your standard British spy thriller (which the British are very skilled at). It gleefully shatters the stereotypical notion of female-driven thrillers, racking up impressive body counts and gruesome kills to rival any Bond film, but imbued with wicked intelligence and informed with purpose. Everyone dies (or not) for a reason.

To be sure, there is no shortage of gun-toting government operatives and rogue assassins to wreak havoc in the Killing Eve universe. However, Villanelle (aka Oksana Astankova) is the prime perpetrator of murder and mayhem. While there are several other complex character arcs being played out–such as Carolyn Marten’s relationship with her offsprings Kenny and Geraldine, not to mention her checkered past with Villanelle’s handler Konstantin (played by Kim Bodnia)–it’s the centrifugal force of Eve’s obsession with tracking down the illusive, shape-shifting killing machine–a beautiful enigma wrapped in childhood trauma, psychosis, and designer clothes, Villanelle’s own obsession with the fearless, wavy-haired MI6 investigator chasing her, and their complex cat and mouse dance that ultimately drives all the narratives.

For those of you who have not seen the series, or for some reason haven’t watched Season Three yet (why the hell not??) I won’t give any spoilers. Suffice it to say, after two seasons of bloody carnage, pain and betrayal (self-inflicted and otherwise), Villanelle undergoes a bit of crisis of conscience–as much as a narcissistic psychopath can–which takes the physical form of uncontrollable hiccups. She believes the remedy is an impromptu trip back to “Mother Russia” to seek out her long-lost family and perhaps answer some of those pesky internal questions plaguing her troubled psyche. Of course Villanelle’s visit is nothing short of cataclysmic, mired with conflict and resentment from the get go. But there are moments of levity and lunacy, such as the family’s goofy Elton John dancing song-along, Villanelle’s young half-brother’s desperation to win the piroshki making contest (to fund his Elton John concert tickets), and the dung throwing competition.

In honor of Villanelle’s epic family reunion–and also because I was craving them–I decided to try my hand at Piroshki. I’ve been a fan of these savory filled fried dough pockets of deliciousness since I was a kid. The only place we knew to procure them in SF was House of Piroshki–my favorite being the beef and cheese variety. Although technically piroshki can be baked, I personally prefer the fried version because it reminds me of a savory filled donut, in the best possible way–light, fluffy dough wrapped about a hearty filing–and you know how I feel about donuts.

There are plenty of classic fried Russian pirozhki recipes on the internet–some with doughs containing eggs, milk, and butter, some with only milk and oil, some with no milk, no eggs, only oil and water. One blogger swore by oil over butter, saying that oil produced a fluffier end product, but did not use any eggs. I came up with a dough that used some eggs, oil, milk, and water, which produced a soft, plible dough that was easy to roll out and fill, and fried up to a lovely golden brown with tender, fluffy interior.

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For the fillings, I stuck to the traditional beef-potato-cheese and spinach-potato-cheese, seasoned with the trademark dill. Utilizing what I had on hand, I mixed in shredded pepper jack cheese instead of the cheddar many of the recipes called for, which I think worked better because the melted jack had a creamy consistency. I really only added enough cheese to act as a binder for the other ingredients so my piroshki weren’t especially cheesy (trying to limit the lactose), though you can certainly add more to your liking.

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This piroshki dough is on the softer side, but be careful about adding too much flour. Like the kolache dough, you want the end product to be soft and pliable, so only add enough flour to make it not sticky, just a little tacky. I actually greased my hands with a little oil before pulling the dough off the hook and scraping it out of the bowl to save myself from gooey hands. I made smaller appetizer-sized piroshki, but you can cut larger rounds of dough and make entree-sized ones. Either way, these piroshki are to kill …or die for.

Stay tuned for more Killing Eve-inspired recipes this week!

Killer Piroshki

Yield: about 20 appetizer size or 12 entree size

Dough:

• 1/4 c. hot water
• 1 1/4 c. whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 2 t. instant yeast
• 2 T. sugar
• 1 t. sea salt
• 4 1/4 to 4 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

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1. Whisk together water, milk, eggs, and oil; set aside.
2. In a mixer bowl, whisk together yeast, sugar, salt, and 4 c. flour, then create a well in the center. Fit the stand mixer with a dough hook.
3. Pour the liquids into the well and begin mixing on medium low speed to bring ingredients together into a shaggy dough.
4. Gradually add about 1/4 c. more flour and continue mixing on medium speed. Allow to dough mix for another few more minutes. If it still seems too wet and sticky, sprinkle in more flour a tablespoon at a time, mixing until it comes together into a smooth, soft, elastic dough.
5. Scrape the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it a few more times, then shape it into a ball. Place the dough ball in a large greased bowl, flipping it around to make sure all sides of the dough are greased.
6. Cover bowl with a dish towel or plastic wrap. Let the dough proof in a warm, draft-free space until doubled in volume (about 60-70 mins.)
7. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down to release the gas bubbles than divide it in half, keeping the unused portion covered.
8. Roll the dough out to about 1/8″ thickness and punch out 4-4.5″ disks with a round cutter. *Dough will shrink back a little.
9. Place the disk in the palm of your non-dominant hand and add a heaping tablespoon of filling off-center. Use your other hand to fold and pinch together the dough at the seams. Start by pinching from the ends towards the center. Make sure the seam is tightly sealed. Mold the filled dough pocket with your hands into a football-shape.
10. Place the filled dough on a lightly-greased parchment-lined sheet pan and loosely cover with a dish towel. Let them proof again for about 20 mins. before frying.
11. Fry the piroshki in 360F degree oil (at least 2″ deep), starting with seam side down, for about 2-3 mins. on each side, until golden brown. Transfer onto a rack set over a sheet pan to drain off excess oil.

Beef & Potato Filling

• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 T. beef concentrate (e.g. Better than Bouillon), optional
• 3 T. olive oil
• 2 T. dry white wine or vermouth
• 1/2 t. dry thyme
• 2 t. dried dill or 2 T. fresh chopped dill
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 small russet potato, peeled, diced, boiled to just tender, drained
• 2/3 c. shredded pepper jack (or cheddar) cheese
• salt/pepper to taste

1. Sauté the onion and garlic in 2 T. olive oil until soft and translucent, seasoning with salt and pepper, then transfer into a medium bowl.
2. Add the remaining 1 T. olive oil and cook the beef, seasoning with salt and pepper, until nicely browned and most of the liquid has evaporated.
3. Add the beef concentrate, wine, thyme. dill, and nutmeg. Cook for another 30 seconds. Mix in the cooked potatoes. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
4. Turn off the heat and add the cheese and cooked onions. Stir until the cheese is completely melted and fully incorporated.
5. Cool filling completely before using.

Spinach Potato Filling

• 12 oz. baby spinach (or power greens mix)
• 3 T. olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 T. dry white wine or vermouth
• 1 small russet potato, peeled, diced, boiled to just tender, drained
• 1/2 t. dry thyme
• 2 t. dried dill or 2 T. fresh chopped dill
• pinch of ground nutmeg
• 2/3 c. shredded pepper jack (or cheddar) cheese
• salt/pepper to taste

1. Sauté the spinach in 1 T. olive oil, until completely wilted, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool, then squeezed out excess liquid and coarsely chop.
2. Sauté the onion and garlic in the remaining oil until soft and translucent, season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the wine, then the potato, thyme, dill, and nutmeg, and sauté another minute.
3. Remove from the heat and stir in cheese and chopped cooked spinach until the cheese is completely melted and fully incorporated. Adjust salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cool the filling completely before using.