Use this Karelian pie (Karjalanpiirakka) recipe to easily make one of the most delicious & recognizable savory pastries in Finnish cuisine.
Karelian Pies are named for the region of Karelia, where they hail from. The Karelia region has been divided between Finland and Russia since the Winter war in the late 1930s. This traditional specialty is not just limited to one region, however- you can find these delicious rustic pies throughout Finland (and now, in your own kitchen!)
Karelian pies feature a thin rye crust and savory fillings. Currently the most common filling is rice porridge, which is featured in the karjalanpiirakka recipe below! In the past, barley or mashed potato fillings were more popular, before rice became so easily accessible. See the notes below for details on mashed potato filling.
A fun fact: Karelian pies (also sometimes referred to in English as Karelian pasties) are registered in the EU on the “Traditional Specialty Guaranteed” list. To be called “karjalanpiirakka”, the pies have to comply with certain guidelines. I’m not always a slave to authenticity, but I read the rules, and this is a totally compliant karjalanpiirakka recipe. Proceed with confidence.
Tools & Equipment for Karelian Pies
- Large saucepan
- Mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon
- Rolling pin
- Baking sheet
- Large liquid measuring cup
- Whisk
- Bench knife
- Pastry brush
Ingredients for Karelian Pies
For the rice porridge filling:
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) arborio rice (or other short-grain rice, such as jasmine)
- 1 tsp salt- kosher salt or fine sea salt
- 2 cups (480 mL) water
- 4 1/4 cups (1000 mL) milk- I generally use whole milk, but use whatever you typically have.
- 4 Tbsp butter
For the rye dough:
- 2 1/4 cups (280 g) rye flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup (240 mL) cold water
- 3-4 Tablespoons melted butter, for brushing
The Process: How to make this Karelian pies (Karjalanpiirakka) recipe
Prepare the creamy rice filling
Put the rice, salt and water into a large saucepan. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Have the milk handy.
When the rice mixture begins to boil, reduce to low heat and whisk in the milk.
Continue to simmer, uncovered, for 35 minutes. Stir occasionally.
If the porridge gets really thick before the rice is cooked, splash in a little more milk!
When 4-5 minutes are left on the clock add the butter to the pan. When the porridge is done stir the butter in.
Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature before using in the pastries.
When you’re ready, make the rye dough
Add the rye flour and the salt to a large bowl and whisk them together. Stir in the cold cup of water and stir until it comes together into a firm dough.
Turn out the dough onto a clean surface and shape it into two equal logs. Move the logs of dough to the side and cover them with a clean damp tea towel to prevent drying.
Lightly flour a clean work surface. Use a bench knife to pinch off a piece of the dough and roll it into a ball. I usually use a piece big enough to make about a 1-inch ball.
Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a very thin circle or oval. About 4-5 inches across is a good size, but you can adjust the size of these to your preference!
I have yet to master the tricks necessary to roll this dough out into smooth, neat circles. Mine wind up looking like jagged little continents, so I usually trim the edges a tad with my bench knife to even them out.
Continue to pinch off pieces of the dough and roll out the circles. Stack the circles of dough into a pile and tuck them under your damp tea towel to keep them from drying out.
Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Farenheit. Line a couple of baking trays with parchment paper and set them aside.
Assemble the pies
Grab a dough circle from your stack and place a scoop of filling- a couple Tablespoons worth- in the center. Fold the edges of the dough in so that it forms an oval and crimp the dough so that none of it stands up (it might burn in the oven if it does). Repeat with each piece of dough.
Transfer the filled pastries to the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-15 minutes in the preheated oven. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small glass bowl and have it handy.
When the pastries come out of the oven, they should be lightly golden brown. Brush them immediately with the melted butter. Let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack or plate.
Serve warm, ideally with the traditional topping, egg butter- See recipe below!
Alternatives
Try a buttery potato filling, as an alternative to the rice pudding filling: Boil potatoes and mash with milk, butter, and salt and pepper to taste, then use the mashed potatoes in place of the rice porridge in filling your pies.
If you use the potato filling, the pie is now called perunapiirakka- Potato Pie.
Finnish egg butter (munavoi)- traditional recipe:
- 2 hard-boiled eggs
- 2 Tbsp soft butter
- Salt to taste
Roughly chop hard-boiled eggs and place in a small bowl. Add soft butter and mix together well until a creamy mixture forms (it will be kind of a rough mixture- bits of eggs will still be present). Add salt to taste. Use to top your Karelian pies!
Finnish Karelian Pies (Karjalanpiirakka)
These classic Finnish rustic pastries feature a thin, crisp rye crust and traditional rice porridge filling. Try them- you'll be hooked!
Ingredients
- For the rice porridge filling:
- 1 1/4 cups (250 g) arborio rice (or other short-grain rice, such as jasmine)
- 1 tsp salt- kosher salt or fine sea salt
- 2 cups (480 mL) water
- 4 1/4 cups (1000 mL) milk- I generally use whole milk, but use whatever you typically have.
- 4 Tbsp butter
- For the rye dough:
- 2 1/4 cups (280 g) rye flour
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup (240 mL) cold water
- 3-4 Tablespoons melted butter, for brushing
Instructions
- Prepare the creamy rice filling:
- Put the rice, salt and water into a large saucepan. Over medium-high heat, bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Have the milk handy.
- When the rice mixture begins to boil, reduce to low heat and whisk in the milk. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for 35 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- If the porridge gets really thick before the rice is cooked, splash in a little more milk!
- When 4-5 minutes are left on the clock add the butter to the pan. When the porridge is done stir the butter in.
- Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature before using in the pastries.
- When you're ready, make the rye dough:
- Add the rye flour and the salt to a large bowl and whisk them together. Stir in the cold cup of water and stir until it comes together into a stiff dough.
- Turn out the dough onto a clean surface and shape it into two equal logs. Move the logs of dough to the side and cover them with a clean damp tea towel to prevent drying.
- Lightly flour a clean work surface. Use a bench knife to pinch off a piece of the dough and roll it into a ball. I usually use a piece big enough to make about a 1-inch ball.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out into a very thin circle or oval. About 4-5 inches across is a good size, but you can adjust the size of these to your preference!
- Continue to pinch off pieces of the dough and roll out the circles. Stack the circles of dough into a pile and tuck them under your damp tea towel to keep them from drying out.
- Preheat the oven to 475 degrees Farenheit. Line a couple of baking trays with parchment paper and set them aside.
- Grab a dough circle from your stack and place a scoop of filling- a couple Tablespoons worth- in the center. Fold the edges of the dough in so that it forms an oval, and crimp the dough so that none of it stands up (it might burn in the oven if it does).
- Transfer the filled pastries to the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 10-15 minutes in the preheated oven. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small glass bowl and have it handy.
- When the pastries come out of the oven, they should be lightly golden brown. Brush them immediately with the melted butter.
- Let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack or plate.
- Serve warm!
Notes
Traditionally, these pies are served with Finnish egg butter. Chop two hard boiled eggs and mash thoroughly with two tablespoons of soft butter until a creamy mixture forms. Add salt to taste.
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Did you make this recipe? Let me know how it went in the comments! If you share on Instagram, please tag me at @sisuhomemaker. And I always love to hear from you- send questions, comments, concerns, etc to carol@sisuhomemaker.com!
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