Fish pie

Name: Fish pie (Kalakukko)
Cuisine: British
Ingredients: 1 kg/2¼ lb vendace or perch, cleaned, gutted and heads removed; 1 kg/2¼ lb vendace or perch, cleaned, gutted and heads removed; 150 g/5 oz sliced belly pork; a little melted butter, to glaze; a little melted butter, to glaze; 25 ml/1½ tbsp milk; 25 g/1 oz fresh yeast; 50 g/2 oz/¼ cup butter; 450 g/1 lb/4 cups rye flour; 5 ml/1 tsp salt; 500 ml/17 fl oz/generous 2 cups cold water; 50 g/2 oz/½ cup plain (all-purpose) flour

Kalakukko

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Food and Cooking of Finland

By Anja Hill

Published 2007

About

The rather everyday title of Fish Pie doesn’t do justice to this famous dish from Savo. It is made with small freshwater fish called vendace, known as muikku in Finnish, and belly pork, wrapped in a rye crust. Small perch or sprats can be substituted for the vendace if you are unable to find the authentic ingredient.

Ingredients

1 kg/2¼ lb vendace or perch, cleaned, gutted and heads removed
150 g/

Europe
Finland
United Kingdom
Main course
Pescatarian

Method

To make the dough, put the milk in a pan and heat gently until just warm to the touch. Put the yeast in a small bowl, and pour over the warm milk. Blend the yeast with the milk, then leave in a warm place for about 15 minutes until the yeast begins to bubble. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small pan and leave to cool.
Put 400<