Few things are more Finnish than a Karelian pasty: an oval of thin, crisp rye pastry, its edges crimped up around a filling of creamy rice porridge, baked fast and hot and brushed with butter as it comes out of the oven. They come from Karelia in the east, and they have since spread to every bakery counter, school lunch and coffee table in the country. The rye crust is earthy and slightly chewy, the rice soft and milky, and the classic topping is munavoi, soft butter mashed with chopped hard boiled egg.

Shaping them is easier than it looks and quietly addictive, rather like learning a new circuit: the first lap is cautious, the tenth is fluent. Our quantities make twenty, which sounds a great many until a room full of people has watched a Finnish driver win something. They freeze beautifully and reheat in minutes.

The rice porridge filling

Ingredients

• 1 cup (200 g) short grain porridge rice
• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) water
• 4 cups (950 ml) whole milk
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon butter

Method

1. Put the rice and water in the saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Simmer, stirring now and then, for about 5 minutes.
2. Pour in the milk, bring it slowly back to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring often so it does not catch. Turn the heat to low and cook uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every few minutes, more often toward the end.
3. Stir in the salt and butter. Spread the porridge in a wide dish and leave it to cool for at least 30 minutes.

The rye crusts

Ingredients

• 1 cup (240 ml) cold water
• 1 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 1/2 cups (250 g) rye flour
• 1/2 cup (60 g) all purpose flour

Method

1. Stir the salt into the water in the mixing bowl. Add both flours and mix with the wooden spoon, then knead briefly with your hand for 1 minute.
2. Roll the dough into a log about 2 inches (5 cm) thick on a rye floured surface and cut it into 20 equal pieces. Roll each into a ball and cover them with a damp towel.
3. Heat the oven to 525°F (275°C), or as high as it goes, and line the baking sheets with parchment. Flatten one ball and roll it on a well floured surface into a thin oval about 6 inches (15 cm) long, turning it a quarter turn after every few strokes. Dust with flour as needed and stack the rolled crusts with a sprinkle of flour between them, covered.

Filling, crimping and baking

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons (45 g) butter
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) milk or water

Method

1. Brush any loose flour off a crust. Spread about 2 tablespoons of cooled porridge along the middle in an oval, leaving a 3/4 inch (2 cm) border all round.
2. Fold the border up over the edge of the filling all the way around. Then, working along each long side, pinch the folded edge between thumb and forefinger every 1/2 inch (1 cm) to make little pleats, pushing them in toward the filling. Leave the middle of the rice uncovered.
3. Set 10 pasties on each sheet. Bake one sheet at a time on the upper middle shelf for 12 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the butter and milk in the small saucepan until the butter melts.
4. As soon as each tray comes out, brush every pasty all over with the hot butter and milk. Stack them on a plate and cover with a clean towel or parchment for 10 minutes, which softens the crust just enough.

The egg butter

Ingredients

• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (115 g) salted butter

Method

1. While the porridge cooks, put the eggs in a small pan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool them in cold water for 5 minutes and peel.
2. Chop the eggs finely and mash them with the soft butter in the medium bowl using the fork.

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