Finland

Kalakukko for survival
Kalakukko is rye bread with fish and bacon baked into it. This stuffed bread used to be baked in the autumn to give the people food to survive the harsh winters. To serve, the bread was heated and a 'lid' cut out. First the insides were spooned out, and then the crust was eaten.

Karjalanpiirakka
'Piirakka' is the Finnish version of the Russian 'pirog'. Many 'typical' Finnish dishes are a legacy of Russia, which occupied Finland for many years.

Ingredients (Serves 12):
1½ litres milk
200 g rice
1 tsp salt
250 g rye flour
50 g plain white flour
100 ml water
3 hard-boiled eggs
150 g butter
1 tbsp finely chopped dill

Method:

• Bring 1 litre of milk to the boil and sprinkle in the rice. Cook for about 40 minutes until it forms a thick pulp. Season with a little of the salt and leave to cool.
  
• Knead the rye and white flour, the water and the remaining salt to a firm dough and leave to rest for 30 minutes. Shape the dough into a roll, cut into 12-15 slices and roll the slices out thinly.
  
• Distribute the rice evenly between the slices with a spoon. Fold half of each slice over the filling and press the edges down firmly with a fork.
  
• Place the stuffed pasties on a baking tray lined with baking parchment and bake in a preheated oven at 250ºC for about 15 minutes.
  
• Mix the remaining milk and 50 g melted butter, brush the hot pasties with the mixture, and cover them with greaseproof paper.
  
• Serve the pasties with egg butter. To make the egg butter, shell and dice the hard-boiled eggs, and mix with the remaining butter and the finely chopped dill.