Karelian pie tradition
| Karelian pie tradition |
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Practitioners and people who know the tradition well
The Karelian pie is a traditional Karelian baked product with a thin rye crust containing rice porridge, barley porridge or mashed potato. The Karelian pie originates from the Karelia region, and it is one of the best-known Finnish foods and part of our identity. A Karelian pie may be either a handmade Karelian pie or an industrially produced rice pasty. Karelian pie and rice pasty differ from one another mainly in their rye content, method of preparation and the EU name protection granted in 2003. Karelian pie is registered as a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) product. The crust of a Karelian pie must contain more than half rye flour, the crust must be thin, and the pies must be crimped by hand. The traditional handmade pie is made by hand at home or in small bakeries. The industrial rice pasty is produced mechanically in large quantities and sold pre-packed in shops.
Karelian pies are baked by home bakers, small entrepreneurs and professionals. Karelian pies are made in small bakeries and are also sold in the selections of some shops. In addition, the making of pies is taught in home economics lessons at schools and in various educational institutions, which helps to secure the transmission of the tradition to new generations.
The transmission and safeguarding of Karelian tradition is also organised activity. Key actors include: the Finnish Karelian League, Pohjois-Karjalan Martat ry (North Karelian Martha Association), the Martha Organisation, the Rural Women’s Advisory Organisation, the Heritage Committee of the Finnish Karelian League (earlier known as naistoimikunta, ”the Women’s Committee”), Karelian associations and many other organisations. The Martha Organisation has taught the making of Karelian pies in home economics courses in different parts of Finland. In the Finnish Karelian League, Karelian pie recipes were already presented in the League’s magazine in the late 1940s. Through the publication of recipes, the aim was to remind readers of the importance of safeguarding diverse food heritage. The pie tradition began to be preserved and taught more actively in the 1970s.
The advisory work, publications, courses and workshops of the Martha Organisation of Finland over several decades have also spread knowledge widely. The Finnish Karelian League has also awarded the title of Pie Master to around 130 people. The title has been awarded since the early 1970s. It is granted to people who have prepared pies for public events, taught pie-making and taken part in competitions. The pie competitions held at the Karelian Summer Festival of the Finnish Karelian League aim to encourage people of different ages to learn pie-making skills. The first competition was held in 1970.
The Karelian pie tradition is rich, but unfamiliar to many. In addition to North Karelia, displaced Karelians living in different parts of Finland and their descendants have maintained and spread awareness of traditional Karelian pies. The pie-baking tradition is also well known in South Karelia.
Practising of the tradition
The Karelian pie tradition is maintained through, among other things, pie courses, workshops and competitions organised by the Martha Organisation and the Finnish Karelian League, as well as through home economics courses. Central to the tradition is the pie-making heritage passed down from one generation to the next.
Especially in North Karelia, handmade Karelian pies remain an important part of food heritage and are part of the everyday table in many homes. As a festive food, pies are served not only in North Karelia but also elsewhere in Finland.
Compared with earlier decades, people now bake pies themselves less often. They are made or bought for celebrations. Thin-crusted Karelian pies from small bakeries are included in the product range of some shops. However, homemade pies are still considered the tastiest. Karelian pies are made as follows: the dough for the crust contains water, salt and flour. In addition to rye flour, wheat flour is often added to the dough nowadays. If desired, a small amount of oil may be added. The dough is rolled out into a sheet about 1/2 cm thick, and circles are cut from it with a drinking glass or a mould. Alternatively, the dough is made into a roll, from which small pieces are cut and pressed into rounds. With a pie rolling pin known as a pulikka or pualikka, the rounds are rolled into thin crusts on a floured surface. The filling, or “heart”, is spread on top of the crust, after which the edges of the crust are turned over the filling. The edges are crimped before baking. The pies are baked in the oven at about 250–300 °C for 15–20 minutes. The high baking temperature makes the pies crisp. The finished hot pies are usually brushed with butter.
Nowadays, the filling, or heart, of Karelian pies is most often rice porridge, but barley porridge or mashed potato may also be used. Karelian pies are also made in gluten-free and vegan versions. New flavours and ingredients are also being tested in the fillings. In this way, the Karelian pie lives in the present while still maintaining its connection to Karelian heritage. In homes, pie crusts are also made with a pasta machine instead of a pulikka.
One example of practising the tradition is the Martta Café that has operated at the market square in Joensuu since 1974, where members of the Martha Organisation make Karelian pies on summer mornings. The Martha Organisation’s pie workshop also organises pie schools for children and adults.
In 2024, the Saimaa region was awarded the European Region of Gastronomy status in recognition of the area’s unique food culture. As part of this, the Taste Saimaa project was carried out, in which the Karelian pie tradition, among other things, was highlighted through the organisation of several “Puhetta piirakasta” (Talking about pies) seminars.
The background and history of the tradition
The Karelian pie is a traditional open and oval pie whose roots lie especially in Ladoga Karelia and North Karelia. It is one of the best-known baked products in Finnish food culture. Pies that are almost identical to the Karelian pie in their method of preparation and appearance are known in many parts of Karelia. Originally, the filling of the Karelian pie was barley and talkkuna (a finely milled flour mixture) flour. From the nineteenth century onwards, potato, buckwheat and millet came into use. Later, rice porridge became the best-known filling. Barley and potato fillings also remained common. In earlier times, pies were made almost every week on Saturdays, and they were eaten with Karelian stew.
For centuries, Karelian pies were baked only in Eastern Finland, in a relatively small area. After the Second World War, more than 400,000 Karelians had to leave their homes in the Karelian Isthmus and Ladoga Karelia. Their resettlement spread Karelian food traditions throughout the country. Oven-baked foods, and especially the Karelian pie, became established as part of the food culture everywhere Finland.
Alongside Karelian pies, the Karelian baking tradition includes, among other things, keitinpiiras, kukkonen (pyörö, tapuntainen), sultsina, tsupukka, supikas, vatruska, sulhaspiiras and kokkonen, also known as mahallaan makkoaja. Most commonly, the pie crust is made from rye, but for example vatruskas are made using potato and wheat flour. Mushrooms, vegetables and root vegetables have also been used as fillings.
In Border Karelia, a pie called sipaniekka was made, with a filling of grains, mashed potato, talkkuna or risen barley flour dough. Sipaniekka is characterised by a structure that is more open than that of the Karelian pie and by an abundant filling. The kalitta of White Karelia resembles the Karelian pie or sipaniekka in its method of preparation, but the top of the kalitta is left more open. In North Karelia there is also a broad baking tradition of different kinds of kukko pies and barley flatbreads. In South Karelia and Savo, potato pies are usually made round in shape.
Although Karelian housewives made pie-making familiar in their new places of residence, the pie tradition began to be spread in an organised way throughout the country when the naistoimikunta of the Finnish Karelian League was established in 1976. From 1980 onwards, a network of home economics teachers was brought together to train interested people in traditional baking. Chef Aira Viitaniemi was elected to lead the League’s naistoimikunta in 1979. She further developed knowledge of the pie tradition and the related courses. Viitaniemi was awarded the prize of the Foundation for the Promotion of Karelian Culture in 2025 for promoting Karelian food culture.
To maintain knowledge of traditional pies, cooperation is also carried out with daycare centres and schools. For example, volunteers from organisations visit daycare centres, schools and senior centres to bake together with children, young people and older people. Home economics experts from the Martha Organisation organise courses on, among other things, Karelian baking traditions. Within Martha circles, Makumatka Karjalaan (“Culinary Journey to Karelia”) courses supported by Karjalan kulttuurirahasto are organised, primarily intended for children and young people.
The transmission of the tradition
The transmission of the tradition from one generation to the next is one of the most important ways of passing on the knowledge of the Karelian pie tradition. In families and kin networks, people are taught how to make an authentic Karelian pie. Home economics teaching in schools and courses at adult education centres further support the possibility of learning how to make Karelian pies in a guided way. Chef Jaakko Kolmonen was a nationally well-known transmitter of the Karelian pie tradition, and the fund bearing his name has supported several promoters of Karelian baking culture in the twenty-first century.
Many kinds of organisations maintain and promote knowledge related to traditional baking. Leipätiedotus (Finnish Bread Information) is a joint communications body for bakeries that promotes good nutrition. It has also produced information about the Karelian pie and launched piirakkapäivä (Pie Day), celebrated on 20 October.
Pie courses are nowadays organised on request, for example as part of the programme of different kinds of workplace wellbeing days. The sale of handmade pies is also an important source of fundraising at many fairs and charity events. Pies are part of Orthodox food heritage, and they are especially considered to be connected with Orthodox fasting culture.
The Karelian pie was registered as a Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) of the European Union in February 2003. In 2019, an amendment application concerning the name protection of the Karelian pie was submitted. Lactose-free milk drink, milk powder and potato flakes were accepted among the ingredients of the Karelian pie. For example, the handmade pie sold at the Martta Café in Joensuu is called a Martta pie, because the porridge for the pie is cooked with cream. The use of salt in the filling has also been separately specified. This makes the work of especially small bakeries easier because in future only one rice porridge needs to be made, and it can be prepared using lactose-free milk drink. This also simplifies the supervision of the product called Karelian pie by the Finnish Food Authority.
The commercialisation and industrial production of pies can also be regarded as a threat to the traditional pie. On the one hand, commercial success secures the continuity of the tradition and keeps the product visible in everyday life, but on the other hand, the challenge lies in maintaining a balance between craft tradition and industrial production. How can the authentic handmade pie, the traditional crimping technique and the subtle handling of the dough be preserved if the view of industrial pies as authentic pies becomes common? The future of the Karelian pie tradition looks promising, provided that the transmission of skills continues actively and the tradition is kept open to new practitioners.
Documentation of the tradition
The Karelian pie tradition is an important part of Finnish food culture, and its documentation is both a cultural and a communal act. The tradition is particularly connected with the Karelia region. In preserving the tradition, both the transmission of practical baking skills and the documentation of knowledge are essential.
Cookbooks, recipe collections, food history studies and theses in different fields document the Karelian pie tradition from different perspectives. Associations with Karelian roots have also compiled and preserved documentation relating to the pie tradition. In addition, museums and archives collect information on Karelian food heritage. For example, the National Museum of Finland and the Finnish Literature Society document material related to everyday life and traditions in Finland, including food culture.
For example, in 2023 the North Karelian Museum carried out a living heritage project, in which more than 1,200 North Karelians were able to share the cultural heritage that was most important to them. Nearly 350 participants named the Karelian pie. Other food-related traditions, such as Karelian stew, vatruska and sultsina, also emerged in the responses collected during the project. As a result of the project, living heritage image cards in Finnish and English and a presentation video were produced. They present 30 elements of intangible cultural heritage in North Karelia. The cards and the video can be downloaded free of charge from the website of the North Karelian Museum.
The South Karelia Museum has documented the tradition through two systematic collection projects. In a project carried out in the 1970s, information on traditional foods was collected and pie-themed evenings were organised, among other things. The results of the project were compiled into a report published in the museum’s publication series in 1978. Photographic material is available, for example, through Finna. In the early 2020s, the museum also documented semi-industrial bakery activity as student work.
The documentation of the Karelian pie tradition therefore does not mean only preserving a recipe, but also safeguarding a whole cultural meaning, set of skills and body of memories. It is a shared task in which the home, school, research institutions and cultural organisations all come together.
Sustainable development
From an ecological point of view, our pie tradition is based on simple and mostly plant-based ingredients, such as rye flour and rice. Traditionally, production has been small-scale and local, meaning that the need for transport and packaging has been limited. Home baking produces little waste, and ingredients have been learned to be used carefully. On the other hand, rice is not a domestic crop, which increases transport emissions, and industrial production can increase energy consumption and packaging waste. Sustainability can be strengthened by favouring domestic grains. The moderation and appreciation of ingredients that lie at the heart of the tradition support ecologically sustainable ways of life.
From an economic point of view, the Karelian pie tradition creates work and livelihoods for small bakeries, agricultural producers and the food industry more broadly. It supports the local economy and food tourism and strengthens entrepreneurship based on craftsmanship. The tradition also offers opportunities for branding and for strengthening regional identity. Challenges include the position of small producers alongside large-scale industry and fluctuations in the prices of raw materials. From the perspective of sustainable economic development, it is important to secure fair pricing and to value the role of handicraft in the price of the product.
Socially, the Karelian pie tradition is strongly communal. Different kinds of pies are made together in families, family celebrations, village events and courses. The tradition strengthens a sense of belonging and provides opportunities for participation. It can serve as a bridge between people from different backgrounds. Making the tradition visible, teaching it and organising communal baking events are key measures for safeguarding its vitality.
Culturally, the Karelian pie tradition is an important part of Finland’s intangible cultural heritage. It is strongly connected with Karelian identity and the history of displaced Karelians. The tradition carries memories, stories and experiences, and it forms part of both festive and everyday food culture. Practising the tradition strengthens cultural continuity and diversity.
The practice of the Karelian pie tradition already contains many elements of sustainable development by its very nature: moderation, locality, a strong craft basis and community. Through conscious choices, such as favouring local ingredients, using energy-efficient production methods, actively teaching the tradition and remaining open to new practitioners, its sustainability can be strengthened even further. In this way, the tradition is not only preserved as a memory of the past but also serves as an example of how living heritage can support an ecologically, economically, socially and culturally sustainable future.
The future of the tradition
The future of the Karelian pie tradition appears both challenging and hopeful. This baked product originating from the Karelia region remains one of the best-known and most beloved traditional delicacies in Finland, but preserving its method of preparation as a living everyday skill requires conscious safeguarding.
Industrially produced rice pasties sold at in-store bakery counters have become an everyday part of food culture. This development may weaken the transmission of craft skills unless investment is made in teaching the skills and in making pies together. At the same time, however, it is clear that baking skills continue to be passed on within families, on courses and at events.
The Karelian pie is associated with strong and positive images of homeliness, hospitality and festive occasions. These associations are used by restaurants, cafés and especially the tourism industry of Eastern Finland, for which the Karelian pie serves as a symbol of regional identity and tradition. In the future, the growth of food tourism may further strengthen the visibility and appreciation of the tradition. The Karelian pie is also a sought-after product internationally.
The interest shown by professionals in the field and by the media in the pie tradition supports the preservation and development of knowledge and skills. Online platforms and social media provide abundant content and opportunities for documenting and transmitting traditional baking. For example, the traditional pie videos on the website of the Finnish Karelian League (2021) present one product each day over the course of a week. In social media groups, users share recipes, instructional videos and memories, and discuss pie-making. The status of the Karelian pie as a national symbol is visible in many ways. Each Christmas, the Finnish Karelian League presents a basket of Karelian pies to the President, highlighting the value of the tradition at the national level. The Karelian pie was also featured on a postage stamp in 2016 in a Pohjola-Norden stamp series with a theme of Nordic food culture.
The positive public profile of the Karelian pie and its continued demand provide a strong foundation for its vitality and future.
The community/communities behind this submission
Rural Women's Advisory Organization
Karjalan Liiton Perinnetoimikunta
Bibliography and links to external sources of information
Leipätiedotus: Piirakkapäivä
Ruokatieto: Alueelliset erot ja erikoisuudet
Marttaliitto: Jaakko Kolmosen rahasto jakoi tunnustuksia työstä suomalaisen ruokakulttuurin hyväksi, 2012.
Ortodoksinen kulttuurikeskus: Karjalaisesta ruokaperinteestä
Links to information about Karelian pies
MartatTV, Yotube.
Karjalan liitto: Piirakkaviikko-videot, 2021.
Martat: Karjalanpiirakan resepti, myös gluteenittomana ja vegaanisena.
Patakakkonen: Karjalanpiirakat. YLE Elävä arkisto.
Yle: Näin piirakkamestarit tekivät karjalanpiirakat Patakakkosessa, 2009.
Helsingin sanomat: Karjalainen piirakka rypyttyy parhaiten pelkillä etusormilla. Eevaliisa Kurki tekee piirakoita, Instagram, 2025.
Legistlation on Karelian pies
Euroopan parlamentin ja neuvoston asetus (EU) N:o 1151/2012, maataloustuotteiden ja elintarvikkeiden laatujärjestelmistä.
Neuvoston asetus (ETY) N:o 2082/92, Erityisluonnetta koskevan todistuksen rekisteröintihakemus (EU) N:o 1151/2012.
Literature
Hopsu-Neuvonen, Arja (toim.) 2010. Karjalaisia kukkoja ja kakkaroita. Helsinki: Marttaliitto ry.
Juurikkala, Katariina (toim.) 2016. Makumatka Karjalaan. Helsinki: Marttaliitto ry.
Kolmonen, Jaakko 1993. Karjalan parhaat leivonnaiset. Helsinki: Patakolmonen ky.
Lampinen, Aino 1978. Karjalainen keittokirja. Joensuu: Pohjois-Karjalan Kirjapaino oy.
Makkonen Rauha 1988. Ruotsit ruuvalla.
Seppälä-Pora, Irja 1962. Apposkaalista mantsikkamöllöön, Karjalan kannaksen kansanruokia. Helsinki: Otava.
Sallinen-Gimpl, Pirkko 2021. Suuri piirakkakirja. Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura. Helsinki
Suomalainen Marja-Liisa 1978. Etelä-Karjalan perinnäistä ruokakulttuuria. Etelä-Karjalan museon julkaisuja.
Tikka Katja: Politiikkaa ja piirakkaterapiaa 2023, Karjalan Liitto 80 vuotta.
Viitaniemi Aira 2016,Karjalainen ruokakirja (Karjalan Liitto).
Viitaniemi Aira-Pelvas Saija 2020. Ruokamuistoja Karjalasta (Karjalan Liitto).
Elävän perinnön kuvakortit 2023, Pohjois-Karjalan museo.