Belyashi with meat in a frying pan

In a large bowl, sift the flour and add ½ tsp of salt to it.

In warm water, add the instant yeast (it can be replaced with regular yeast) and sugar. Mix the contents to get a dough starter – the base for fluffy dough.

Pour the dough starter into the bowl with flour and also add vegetable oil. Start kneading the dough with a spatula.

As soon as the main part of the liquid starter combines with the flour, we move on to kneading the dough by hand. Continue to knead until homogeneous for 3-5 minutes. Don't be afraid if it turns out sticky – such dough is perfect for belyashi, so there's no need to 'pack' it with extra flour.

Leave the dough in a large container and cover it with plastic wrap. Let it sit in a warm place for 1 hour, allowing the yeast to activate.

Now let's prepare the filling. Add finely chopped or minced onion to the ground beef. Ideally, the ratio of onion to meat should be 1:1, as the onion will give the filling juiciness and tenderness. Add ground pepper and salt, then mix the mass.

Once again, return to the dough – after an hour, it has significantly increased in volume. Carefully knead it with your hands and transfer it to a work surface generously sprinkled with flour.

This volume of dough is enough for 8 belyashi, so divide it into 8 equal pieces. From each piece, form a neat ball by folding the edges towards the center.

Take the first ball, sprinkle it with flour on both sides, and start rolling it out into a disc with a diameter of 10-12 cm. The dough should not be too thin, otherwise the belyash may easily tear. Place a tablespoon of filling in the center of the rolled-out dough.

Gather the edges of the dough at the center in the shape of a pouch and pinch them well. Since the dough is sticky, the edges stick firmly together. Lightly sprinkle the belyash with flour again and gently pat it to a thickness of 1 cm. Prepare the remaining belyashi in a similar manner.

In a large pot, heat about 500 milliliters of vegetable oil. Before proceeding to fry the belyashi with meat in the frying pan, be sure to check its temperature with a piece of dough. The first batch of belyashi is dropped into the heated oil one by one and cooked for about 8 minutes. Fry for 3 minutes on each side and then an additional minute on each side. Remove the finished belyashi and leave them on a plate with paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

Belyashi with meat in a frying pan with juicy filling are ready. Try this delightful taste of airy dough and tender meat!