Finnish Meat Pie Recipes

KARELIAN LANTTUKUKKO (FINNISH MEAT AND RUTABAGA PIE)

Steps:

• Combine yeast and warm water, stirring to dissolve yeast, then combine with enough of the rye flour for the consistence of porridge; cover loosely and set aside for one hour.
• Meanwhile, peel and slice the rutabaga and cook in salted water until soft, about 20 minutes.
• Once the yeast has been activated, stir in enough all purpose flour to form a dough (the dough will leave the sides of the bowl); cover with a clean towel and set aside to rise for 1 hour.
• Add a small amount of oil to a skillet and fry the meat, onion, salt and pepper, and chopped parsley; remove from heat once the onions begin to caramelize and are a light golden.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• After an hour the dough should have doubled in size; turn out onto a work surface dusted with rye flour.
• Knead dough; roll out dough to either a square shape or circular shape to be stuffed with the rutabagas and meat mixture.
• To the dough, place a layer of rutabaga, then meat.
• Fold over the sides to cover filling and seal.
• Transfer to a greased baking sheet and bake until crust is golden and filling is cooked through, about 1 hour.
• Brush the top with butter and let cool slightly before slicing.
• NOTE: The original recipe called for the pie to be wrapped in grease-proof paper, then newspaper, then a plastic bag. It was allowed to rest, at room temperature, for 3 hours to soften.

FINNISH MEAT PIE

Steps:

• Place shortening in a large bowl. Add boiling water; stir until shortening is melted. In a small bowl, mix flour and salt. Add to shortening mixture; stir until a soft ball forms. Cover and refrigerate until cooled, about 1 hour., Preheat oven to 350°. Divide dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll 1 dough portion into a 17x13-in. rectangle. Transfer to an ungreased 13x9-in. baking dish. Press onto bottom and up sides of dish. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond rim of dish., In a large bowl, combine filling ingredients. Spoon into pastry. Roll out remaining dough into a 13x9-in. rectangle. Place over filling. Fold bottom pastry over top pastry; press with a fork to seal. In a small bowl, whisk egg and milk; brush over pastry. Cut slits in top. Bake 1-1/4 hours or until golden brown.

TRADITIONAL MEAT PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Pie Crust: Mix flour and shortening. Add salt and cold water. Add all the cold water at once and mix delicately. Form a ball and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Once dough is chilled, flour your worktop. Divide dough in half. Roll out 2 pie crusts. One should be slightly larger than the other, this will be your bottom crust.
• Meat Filling: Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the pork and onion and cook over medium-low heat for 45 minutes, stirring often. When pork is cooked remove fat from pan. Add grated potato, salt, pepper, and allspice, to taste. Stir well, and let mixture rest for 20 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter the bottom of 9-inch pie plate. Place the bottom crust in the pie plate and poke several holes in the crust with a fork. Make sure an ample amount of crust spills over the edges of the pie plate. Fill the crust with the meat mixture. Level with a spatula. Wet edges of bottom crust and place top crust over meat mixture. Press top crust onto meat mixture to eliminate any air holes. Beat together the egg and the milk to make an egg wash. Pinch the crust edges together and brush the top crust with the egg wash.
• Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue baking for 15 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
• Slice and serve hot or cold.

FINNISH MEATLOAF/FINNISH MEAT PIES

Steps:

• In frying pan add margarine, mushroom, onion and bread. Fry until onion, mushrooms and bread are slightly browned.
• In large bowl, mix meats together, add vegetables,bread pieces, parsley and 3/4 cup cheese. Mix together.
• Add evaporated milk and pepper and mix.
• Place in loaf pan.
• Add remaining cheese on top.
• Preheat oven 350*.
• Bake one hour. Makes 8 large slices.
• For: Pies.
• Roll out pie crust pastry for each slice.
• Place slice or half slice on one half of pastry.
• Add tomato, then onion, then sour cream.
• Fold over. Seal edges with the tines of a fork.
• Make as many pies as desired.
• In a cup, beat egg and water.
• Brush egg wash over the pastries.
• Preheat oven 425*.
• Bake until golden brown about 20 minutes.
• This is a basic satisfying taste recipe, no heart stopping spice, or zesty tomato or zingy hot pepper. You will taste the cheese and that is the idea. My personal addition is to add 1/2 tsp creamy horseradish sauce before I seal the edges of the pastry but it is not called for in the recipe.