Finnish Fish Pie (Kalakukko)

⏳ Time

6 hours

🥕 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings

Description

"Kukko" translates from the Karelian language as "pie," so kalakukko means "fish pie." For the filling, salmon is used—in our recipe, we have chosen salmon. For a less festive version, smelt or another small fish would work well.

Ingredients

Coarsely Ground Rye Flour - 10 oz
Wheat Flour - 5 oz
Vegetable Oil - 2 spoons
Water - 10 fl oz
Smoked haddock fillet - 30 oz
Salted pork belly - 5 oz
Butter - to taste
Salt - to taste
Ground Black Pepper - to taste

Step by Step guide

Step 1

Prepare the necessary ingredients.

Step 2

Sift the flour.

Step 3

Add a teaspoon of salt and vegetable oil.

Step 4

Start kneading the dough, gradually adding water. You may need between 1 to 1.5 cups of water. The dough should be very pliable and slightly sticky.

Step 5

Cut the fish fillet into large flat pieces and the pork into thin slices.

Step 6

Tear off a small piece of dough and set it aside for later use. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1 centimeter, making the edges slightly thinner than the center. Layer the fish and pork, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper. Moisten the edges of the dough with water and seal them, shaping the pie into an oval.

Step 7

Carefully turn the pie onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring the seam is on the bottom. Sprinkle the pie with rye flour and make a small cut in the center to allow steam to escape. Place the pie in an oven preheated to 390°F (400 degrees Fahrenheit) for 30–40 minutes.

Step 8

Remove the pie from the oven and lower the temperature to 175°F. Use the reserved piece of dough to seal the hole in the pie, brush the pie with butter, and wrap it in parchment paper.