Karelian rye-crusted pastries with egg butter

2 cups water
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups milk
salt

Crust

1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup rye flour
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Baste

1/2 cup butter melted

Egg Butter

1/2 cup butter at room temperature
2 hard-boiled egg, chopped
pinch freshly ground white pepper (optional)
pinchd ground ginger (optional)

For the Filling

In a saucepan combine the water and rice. Bring to a boil.
Stir, cover, and cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the milk, cover, and continue cooking until the milk is completely absorbed and the rice is soft and creamy.
Season with salt. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. To prepare the pastry, in a medium-sized bowl, combine the water, salt, and rye and white flours to make a stiff dough.
Shape the dough into a log and cut into 16 parts. Shape eah part into a round.
On a lightly floured board, roll out each round into a 6-inch circle.
Spread about 3 tablespoons of filling evenly on each round. Fold two opposite edges of the pastry over the filling and crimp the edges of the dough toward the center to make an oval-shaped pastry, allowing about 1/2-inch of the crust to overlay the filling and leaving the center of the filling exposed. Place on the prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter and hot milk and brush on the pastries. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, brushing once during baking, until the pastries are golden on the edges. Reove from the oven and brush again.
To prepare the egg butter, ina small bowl, cream the butter. Stir in the eggs. Season with the white pepper and ground ginger, if desired. Serve the egg butter at room temperature. Cool the pastrises and serve with the egg butter.

For the Pastry

In a medium sized bowl, combine the water, salt, and rye and white flours to make a stiff dough. Shape the dough int a log and cut into 16 parts. Shape each part into a round. Spread aobut 3 tablespoons of filling evenly on each round. Fold two opposite edges of the pastry over the filling and leaving the center of the fillikng exposed. Place on the prepared baking sheet.
In a small bowl, stir together themelted butter and hot milk and brush on the pstries. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, brushing once during baking, until the pastries are golden on the edges. Remove from the oven and brush again.

For the Egg Butter

In a small bowl, cream the butter. Stir in the eggs. Season wiht the white pepper and ground ginger, if desired. Serve the egg butter at room temperature. Cool the pastries and server with the egg butter.

16 pastries, 1 cup egg butter

2 pounds thin-skinned boiling potatoes
salt
1 pound (about 1 medium) rutabaga*
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 to 1 cup hot milk or light cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup fine dry break crumbs

Put the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with water. Add 1 teaspoon salt for each quart of water. Heat to boiling and cook for 20to 25 minutes. Drain, mash, and add the cooked rutabaga* to the potatoes. Beat with and electric mixer until the potatoes and rutabagas* are smooothe and fluffy. Beat in the flour, eggs, salt, and milk (or cream). Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Turn the mixture into the dish. Using a spoon, spread out the mixture, making indentations in the top of the casserole. Dot with the butter and sprinkle with the bread crumbs. Bake uncovered for 1 hour, or untillightly browned.

12 servings

Finnish three-meat ragout

1 pound lean lamb, shoulder or leg
1 pound lean port, shoulder or leg
1 pound lean beef round
2-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon whole allspice
1/2 teaspoon whole white peppercorns
6 large white onions, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
Chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Cut the meat into 1-inch cubes. In an enamelled, cast-iron pot or other deep oven proof casserole, layer the meat, salt, allspice, whitepe ppercorns, and onion. Cover lightly. Bake for 5 hous, or until the meat is very tender. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve over mashed potatoes or mashed potatoes and rutabagas.

12 servings

Recipes taken from Karelian Country Buffet Scandinnavian Feasts by BEATRICE OJAKANGAS photography by Michael Grimaldi Published in 1992 by Steware, Tabori & Chang Inc. 575 Broadway, New York, New York 10012

SWEDE or RUTABAGA

A root vegetable of the cabbage family, swedes are cooked in much the same way as trunips. In many parts of the worlld, especially Scotland, they are actually known as turnips. They tend to be larger and have a characteristic ribbed skin near the base of the stalk. The skin may be white or purple, according to variety. The flesh is usually yellow and tends to be drier and seeter than that of the trunip. Swedes bake well, are popular in stews and are often mashed or pureed like the traditional 'mashed neeps' served with Scots haggis. Swede is very nutritious, rich in protein, minerals and low in calories: 26 per 100 g/3=1/2 oz. larousse PRATIQUE