Riisipiirakka (Karelian Rice Pasties)

My Story

My siblings and I always hoped our grandparents had Riisipiirakka in the freezer—they freeze beautifully, and in our house they were always the first to disappear. Some of my strongest memories are the whole-day baking marathons with my grandma, mum, and siblings: 8–10 hours of mixing, rolling, and filling. We ate them with butter most often, but sometimes added ham, salami, or cheese. When feeding a true army at home, we’d make munavoi (egg butter) as the ultimate topping. On my first trip to Finland at 38, I found them everywhere—more common than toast at breakfast. I may have eaten a couple of years’ worth in four weeks, but somehow I’m still craving more.

Recipe

Ingredients (makes ~12 pasties):

Base

200 g rye flour
50 g plain flour
150 ml cold water
Pinch of salt

Filling:

½ cup rice
1½ cups milk
Pinch of salt

Method:

Cooking Instructions

Cook rice with milk and salt until creamy (like Riisipuuro).

Let cool slightly.

Mix flours, water, and salt into a dough. Roll thin and cut into ovals.

Place a spoonful of porridge in the centre, fold edges over, and pinch.

Bake at 220 °C for 10–12 minutes until golden.

Brush with melted butter and serve with plain butter or munavoi.

Several freshly baked Karelian rice pasties arranged on a wooden board, their golden rye crusts folded around creamy rice filling. The pasties are set in a cozy kitchen environment with soft natural light, evoking a warm and inviting atmosphere. No visible text in the image.