Karelian Pies

Karjalanpiirakka, the Karelian pie, is a thin rye-flour crust pinched into an open boat and filled traditionally with rice porridge, baked until the edges brown. Eaten warm and spread with munavoi, a mash of chopped egg and butter, it is the everyday pastry of Finland, born in Karelia and now found everywhere.

What you actually see

• The rye boat - the thin, crimped rye crust holding the filling.
• Rice porridge filling - the classic soft rice centre, sometimes potato instead.
• Egg butter - the munavoi topping of chopped egg and butter.
• Bakery and market versions - fresh and warm from an eastern Finnish baker.

When to go

Year-round; best warm from a bakery or market, with egg butter on top. They are an everyday food, so any shop has them, but the fresh-baked ones are far better.

Honest expectations

Supermarket versions are fine but a shadow of a fresh-baked one, so seek out a real bakery or market. The rice filling is mild and homely rather than exciting. It is an everyday staple to graze on rather than a destination dish.

Nearby

Any Finnish market hall sells them warm; they belong with a bowl of salmon soup for a simple local meal.