Karelian Rice Pies With Egg Butter
Preparation time: 45-60 minutes (it is quicker if you have help rolling out the pastry)
Cooking time: 30 minutes for the rice and then 15 minutes oven time per tray and 5 minutes for the eggs
For filling
- 1 1/4 cup arborio or sushi rice
- 1.5 cups water
- 1.1 litres milk
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
For rye pastry
- 1 cup water
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 1 cup plain all purpose flour
- 1.5 cups rye flour (plus about 3/4 cup extra for rolling)
For egg butter (munavoi)
- 6 eggs
- 100g/3.5ozs. butter, softened
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives (you can also use red onion)
- Salt and pepper
Extra
- 2 cups simmering water
- 50g/1.7ozs butter
*Rye flour can be found at health food stores and also at some supermarkets. I used a Bob's Red Mill organic dark rye flour.
Step 1 - Make the filling first as you want it cooled by the time you make the pies. Rinse rice until clear and then boil it in the 1.5 cups of water for 10 minutes. Add milk and bring to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes on low heat stirring so that it doesn't stick. Add salt at the end. It will thicken upon cooling.
Step 2 - Make the pastry. Add salt to the plain flour and stir in the water. Add the rye flour in gradually using as much as you can (do not add all at once, it makes it much harder to knead if you do this). Rye flour is an interesting flour to work with because it will seem as though you can't add any more and then the dough becomes soft and sticky again. I could add it all but 1 tablespoon by the end.
Step 3 - Roll it out into a long sausage about 5 cms or 2 inches in diameter. Cover with cling film and then a damp tea towel and rest for two hours. This will relax the gluten and make it much easier to roll.
Step 4 - While it is resting, boil the eggs for 5 minutes and then cool in cold water and peel. When cold, chop roughly and then mash with the butter and chives. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 5 - Preheat oven to 280C/536F (very hot) and line a baking tray with parchment. I work with half the pastry at a time to prevent it drying it and leave the remaining half log covered in cling film. Cut 18 pieces out of the half log.
Step 6 - Have about a cup of rye flour ready as it helps enormously with the rolling. You want the pastry to be as thin as possible. Take a piece, it should be a rectangle shape and press down on the floured board with the palm of your hand to flatten. Roll out with a rolling pin to flatten a bit further to get an oval. Make sure the board is well floured and then turn and roll the outside edges. If you've made dumpling skins, this will be second nature but it does take practice. They key is to constantly turn and roll until very thin.
Step 7 - Make sure both sides are lightly floured and then pile them on top of each other making sure to cover with a damp tea towel or large bowl. You can also do these one at a time but it's easier to roll a whole lot and then fill a whole lot.
Step 8 - Fill the centre with the rice filling. Then fold over the left and right side and then pinch to create pleats. The pastry takes to the pleating very easily and you can be firm with it. Place on the prepared baking tray.
Step 9 - Bake for 12-15 minutes or until you get brown flecks in the rice centre (it depends on how big you make these and how much filling you put in them).
Step 10 - While they are baking, put a saucepan of water and the butter onto simmer. When the pastries come out of the oven, pick them up with tongs and then dip them in the butter water. It may sound strange but this gives them a nice gloss and finish. You can also just brush them with butter but I was curious to see whether this would work. They're quite firm and crisp at this stage so they don't break apart at all when they hit the water. Allow to cool on a tray. Serve warm with the egg butter.
Variations: I made a couple of lots of these because we loved them so much and they're great to put in Mr NQN's lunch. I experimented with cubes of Danish feta and pesto which were both really delicious. That way you don't need egg butter (which makes it easier for a lunch time). A reader also suggested potato as a filling. They may be variations on the traditional - just a warning some Finns may break down your door and tell you off for fiddling with their recipe*
*Actually no they won't, in my experience Finns are really chilled ;)