Cheaters Pyrizhky (sauerkraut pastries)

Every year my mom, nana, sister and I would spend Grey Cup Sunday making Pyrizhky while the guys watched the game. The dough is an old fashioned yeast recipe that needs to be made hours ahead in order to rise. Then there is the painstaking process of cutting the dough and filling it and pressing it into tiny little bundles. Although the end result is delicious the bundles are barely a mouthful so the pyrizhky had to be saved and treasured and only brought out on special occasions.

One day I had an epiphany - why not cheat and use pre-made dough? It would cut out a step and I could make small batches just for that day. I think the result was a success.

• 1 can Pillsbury crescent rolls
• 1 1/2 cups premade sauerkraut from a jar
• 1/2 large onion
• caraway seed
• salt pepper

Preheat your oven according to dough directions.

Finely chop the onion and saute in olive oil until softened but not browned. Add the sauerkraut and saute until tender. Sprinkle with caraway seed, salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool while you roll the dough.

Unroll the dough in one continuous sheet (not in crescent shapes). With a rolling pin stretch the dough until it's only a few mm thick. Note: excess dough cannot be balled up and re-rolled like cookie dough so make the most of it with this rolling. Cut the dough into small squares about 5cm across. I make squares to help maximize the dough and reduce waste.

Spoon a tiny amount of the sauerkraut mixture into the centre of each square. Fold up the dough to make a sealed package (no need to make them pretty).

Cook according to dough package directions but watch closely as the dough is fairly thin.

Yummy warm pillows of goodness.

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