10 main dishes of KARELIA (PHOTOS)
Karelian cuisine is built on the main gifts of northern nature – fish, mushrooms and berries – which is transformed to anything from local pastries to the legendary ‘smelt’!
1. ‘Kalitka’ pastry
The most famous dish of Karelian cuisine is probably ‘kalitka’ – a small open-faced pie made of rye dough with fillings like millet porridge, mashed potatoes and/or berries. The name comes from the old Russian word ‘kalita’, meaning a small money pouch.
2. ‘Rybnik’ pie
‘Rybnik’ (‘ryba’ means ‘fish’ in Russian) is an open or closed pie filled with fish, popular not only in Karelia, but also across the Russian North, in general. The crust is made from rye flour, while raw fish is always used as the filling – either whole or cut into large pieces.
3. ‘Lohikeitto’ soup
Karelian fish soup can be made with a clear-broth (called ‘kalakeitto’) or with a creamy broth. ‘Lohikeitto’ literally translates as ‘salmon soup’. As the name suggests,this is a rich, creamy chowder with red fish, potatoes and cream. A similar dish can also be found in Finnish cuisine. In the Russian North, it’s sometimes called ‘Solovetskaya ukha’ (‘Solovetsky fish soup’).
4. Karelian bread
This bread is made from a mix of wheat and rye flour, with raisins, candied fruit or dried apricots. Coriander is added to the dough, giving it a flavor similar to ‘Borodinsky’ bread, only sweeter. Since the mid-20th century, it has been produced according to a state standard (‘GOST’) and can still be found in regular stores across Russia.
5. ‘Skanets’ flatbread
This is a thin, rolled-up flatbread made with ‘kefir’ or sour cream. It’s pan-fried and served with butter or cottage cheese. Sometimes, it’s used as a base for making a ‘kalitka’. The dish is common in both Karelian and Pomor cuisines.
6. ‘Sultchyn’ pancake
A thin rye pancake made with milk, wrapped around a filling of rice, semolina or millet porridge.
7. Karelian pot stew
This dish is also known as ‘meat a la Petru" or ‘Karelian-style meat’. In Finnish cuisine, it’s called ‘Karjalanpaisti’ – literally ‘Karelian stew’. Traditionally, it’s made with elk meat (though modern versions use beef or lamb), slow-cooked in a pot with potatoes, onions, carrots and mushrooms for about two hours.
8. ‘Kakriskukka’ pie
This is a traditional closed pie filled with salted turnip. In the past, turnips were a staple vegetable in Karelia and used in almost every dish – much like potatoes today.
9. Fried smelt (‘Koryushka’)
Karelia has many traditional fish dishes, thanks to its many lakes, rivers and the White Sea. Smelt – a small fish – is especially beloved in Karelia, often fried in batter. And it’s a common menu item in Karelian restaurants.
10. Mushroom soup with kvass
Another famous Karelian soup, made with salted mushrooms (like porcini, aspen boletes or chanterelles) and ‘kvass’. Potatoes or pearl barley are often added for a thicker texture.
