Karjalanpiirakka (Karelian Rye Pies with Rice Porridge and Egg Butter)

Rice porridge filling

• 900 ml Whole milk
• 200 g Sushi rice
• 1 ½ tsp Fine sea salt

Rye pastry

• 250 g Rye flour
• 100 g Plain flour
• ½ tsp Fine sea salt
• 180 ml Water, warm

Egg butter

• 4 Egg
• 80 g Unsalted butter, softened
• ¼ tsp Fine sea salt

To finish

• 40 g Unsalted butter, melted

1. Make the filling: bring the whole milk to a gentle simmer in a saucepan with the fine sea salt. Whisk in the sushi rice, reduce to low, and cook very gently for 35 to 45 minutes, stirring often, until thick and creamy. Scrape into a bowl and cool until just warm (it should be spoonable, not runny).
2. Meanwhile, make the pastry: mix the rye flour, plain flour and fine sea salt in a bowl. Add the warm water and stir, then knead briefly until a firm, smooth dough forms. Cover and rest for 20 minutes so the dough rolls more easily.
3. Heat the oven to 250°C (480°F) and set a baking tray inside to get hot. Divide the dough into 16 pieces and keep them covered while you work. Roll each piece into a thin oval (about 1 to 2 mm thick), keeping the centre slightly thinner than the edges.
4. Spoon the warm rice porridge down the centre of each oval, leaving a 1.5 to 2 cm border. Pinch and pleat the edges up and over the filling to form open pies with ruffled sides. Work quickly so the dough does not dry out.
5. Bake the pies on the hot tray for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are crisp and lightly browned and the filling is set. Brush the hot pies with the melted unsalted butter. Stack them and cover with a clean tea towel for 10 minutes to soften the crust slightly, as is traditional.
6. Make the egg butter: boil the eggs for 10 minutes, then cool under cold running water and peel. Finely chop the eggs and mash into the softened unsalted butter with the fine sea salt until spreadable. Serve the pies warm with the egg butter on top.

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