Only authentic Karelian pies can be called Karelian pies

Did you know that Karelian pies are registered in EU, on the Traditional Specialty Guaranteed (TSG) list? On the same list there are e.g.  Mozzarella cheese from Italy, Falun sausage (Falukorv) from Sweden and Serrano ham (Jamón serrano) from Spain.

The TSG list means that you can't call your pies Karjalanpiirakka / Karelian pasty if they don't comply with the defined rules.Check here for the official Karjalanpiirakka definition in EU.

Most important rule is that minimum 50% of the flour used has to be rye flour.

Well, originally these are all-rye-flour.. so my authentic recipe for Karelian pies, from my Northern Karelian grandmom does fit the definition well. 

Note: So, the name in English officially seems to be Karelian pasty and not pie. I still keep on using here the name Karelian pie, because Finnish word piirakka is a pie, and it applies to small and big ones, savoury and sweet pies included.

It just sounds better in my mouth 😋

Karelian pies ready for the oven

The history of Karelian pies

The Karelian pies / Karelian pasties have been enjoyed for a long time, first time they are mentioned already in 1686. Karelia is a part of Eastern Finland.

Karelian pies spread to whole Finland and even Sweden when many Karelians needed to move out of their homes in Karelia during the Second World War.

The first, original filling was a porridge made of barley.

This was time when even potatoes were not yet common in Finland.

Potatoes, originally from Germany got more common around 1750's and more popular in Finland after 1800's.

So, later mashed potatoes became also a popular filling for Karelian pies, and later also rice porridge became super popular. Now, I think rice porridge filling is the most typical one.

Karelian pies /Karelian pasties are one of the most loved dishes of Finland. This savoury snack gets us through the cold and dark winter! It is widely available to buy ready-made, so not so many make them at home anymore. 

In my childhood hundreds of Karelian pies were always made for every Christmas, Midsummer, any festivity, party or anniversary.

Karelian pies are also one of most practical dishes for guests, as they do not contain many ingredients (many are intolerant or allergic of something), can be enjoyed hot or cold and most people love it.

Karelian pies with 2 fillings, mashed potatoes and rice porridge, accompanied with egg butter

Thank you for keeping the traditional Finnish dishes alive around the world!