Bags 5x different: Wrap meat, cheese and sweet filling in them and conjure up an impressive dish

A bagel is one of those dishes that looks much more complicated on a plate than it actually is. All you have to do is fill a suitably chosen base, pull its edges up and pull them together. Depending on the recipe used, you can create a crispy snack, a hearty main course or an impressive appetizer. And that's exactly their charm - each type of bagel offers a slightly different method of preparation and lots of options for filling it.

Meat pouches hide a rich and juicy filling

Meatballs are a hearty option that is especially suitable as a main course. They are most often prepared from thin slices of pork that are filled, pulled into a typical shape, and baked or stewed until soft.

• What to fill: Minced meat, bacon, ham, sausages, mushrooms, eggs or sautéed vegetables are great. The filling can be seasoned with garlic, herbs or your favorite spices.
• What to serve with: Meatballs are perfect with boiled or mashed potatoes, rice or dumplings. For a lighter meal, they can also be served with just a fresh vegetable salad.

Puff pastry bags are beautifully crispy

Puff pastry is perfect for making bagels. After baking, it is beautifully crispy, golden and holds its shape well, so it can easily be used to create an impressive appetizer, starter or light dinner.

• What to fill: Cheese, ham, sausages, mushrooms, vegetables and minced meat mixtures are all suitable. Stronger fillings will complement the neutral taste of puff pastry beautifully.
• How to shape: Divide the dough into squares, put the filling in the middle and pull the edges up. You can connect them with your fingers or press lightly with a fork. Before baking, brush the bags with a beaten egg to give them a beautifully golden and shiny surface.

Cheese bags smell of herbs and melted cheese

Cheese can be used in several ways in pouches. It can be the main filling, complement meat or vegetables, or be hidden inside another package. Cheeses that melt nicely when heated are the best.

• What cheese to use: You can use hermelin, camembert, mozzarella, or another cheese that melts well. Stronger cheeses will give the baguette a fuller flavor.
• What to add: Herbs, garlic, ham, bacon, nuts or sun-dried tomatoes go well with cheese. A combination of cheese with mushrooms or vegetables also works well.

We enjoy pancake bags both salty and sweet.

Pancakes are soft, flexible and easy to shape, so we can make them into fancy pockets without any complicated cutting. Just place the filling in the middle of the pancake, lift the edges and tie them.

• What to fill: Minced meat or chicken, spinach, mushrooms, ham or a mixture of vegetables and cheese are excellent. You can also fill the pancakes with leftover roasted meat or vegetables from the previous day. Sweet fillings can be made from cottage cheese, fresh fruit, jam or chocolate, and instead of leeks, you can use, for example, a strip of the pancake itself or a decorative ribbon made of fruit.
• How to tie: Use a steamed strip of leek, chives, or other edible herb to close the bag. Do not overcook the pancake before filling so that it remains flexible enough to not tear when shaped.

Fry the homemade dough balls until golden brown.

• What kind of dough to use: A simple unleavened dough made from flour, eggs and water is suitable, from which we form thin patties. We fill them and pull the edges up to create the typical bag shape. We can then fry them in a pan or deep fry them.
• What to fill: The crispy wrapper goes well with more substantial fillings. You can try minced meat, mushrooms, vegetables or blue cheese, or a combination of these.

One of the alternatives from which we can prepare a purse is also a pancake. You can learn how to prepare pancakes that are suitable for purses in our video recipe. And what kind of purses do you, our readers, like to prepare at home the most? Write to us in the comments!