MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: Karelian Pies With Rice Filling Categories: Dinner pies, Finnish Yield: 20 Pies 7 oz Water (200 ml) 1 lb Rye flour (450 g) 4 oz White flour (100 g) 1 ts Salt MMMMM------------------------RICE FILLING----------------------------- 1 lb Short-grain rice (450 g) 7 c Milk (2 L) 18 oz Water (1/2 L) 1 ts Salt 2 tb Butter MMMMM---------------------------GLAZE-------------------------------- Butter Water or milk MMMMM---------------------EGG-BUTTER SPREAD-------------------------- 8 Eggs; hard-boiled 5 oz Butter (150 g) 1/2 ts Salt These pies/pasties are everyday food eaten as a savory snack (with egg-butter) and with salad as lunch. The art is in the making to get the pastry right. Almost every wedding, funeral, and family celebration will have these pasties, decorated with parsley, served with carrot, potato, or swede filling, all equally delicious. There are some regional differences; in some areas they use a flour mix, rye/barley, and/or wheat or buckwheat. Bring water to the boil in a saucepan with a thick bottom. Add the rice and cook until the water is absorbed. Add milk and bring to the boil while frequently stirring. Simmer at a low heat for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, until cooked. Season the rice porridge with salt and butter and set aside to cool. Boil the eggs in water for at least 8 minutes. Rinse under cold water and remove their shells. Use a fork to mash the eggs finely together with the soft butter; in a mixing bowl. Add salt. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge to cool. Stir the flours and salt into water and knead into a solid dough. Form the dough into a bar on a well-floured baking board, and cut into 20 pieces. Form little balls from the pieces, then flatten Sprinkle some rye flour onto the baking board. With a rolling pin, roll a piece of the dough into as thin a round crust as possible. Place the ready-made crusts into two piles. Cover the crusts with a kitchen towel to prevent them from becoming dry before all have been rolled. When the crusts are ready, fill the centres with a thin layer of rice porridge. Fold the edges of the crusts and pinch, forming oval shaped pies. Turn the tips of the pies inwards to prevent them from burning during baking. Place the pies onto a baking tray covered with greaseproof paper, and bake in a hot oven, 240°C/475°F/gas 9 for 10 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove the pies from the oven and brush with melted butter or a butter and water/milk mixture. Place them on greaseproof paper and cover with a kitchen towel to soften. If you prefer a crispy crust, do not cover. Recipe by Ulla, works in Barton Hill Recipe FROM: MMMMM