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Finnish Food Fights Back
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It was an extraordinary breach of European epicurean etiquette that could not be allowed to go unchallenged.
The trouble started when the Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, launched into a tirade at the European summit in Laeken.
The leaders were arguing about where various institutions should be established, and Mr Berlusconi was irritated that the Food Standards Agency might go to Finland, instead of being sited in Parma, home of fine Italian ham.
"Parma is synonymous with good cuisine. The Finns don't even know what prosciutto is. I cannot accept this," he spluttered according to leaked minutes.
Helsinki's response was not long in coming. In a determined effort to uphold the gastronomic honour of his nation, the Finnish Ambassador to Britain, Pertti Salolainen, arrived at the Today studio with a delicious selection of smoked salmon, karelian pies and scrambled eggs.
"We have wonderful delicacies. They are fantastic," he told presenter James Naughtie who was enthusiastically nibbling his way through the platter of traditional Finnish fare.
Leading Italian chef Antonio Carluccio admitted that the ambassador had a case. He revealed that he had once tried reindeer meat and found it "quite tasty." Mr Berlusconi's remarks had been quite childish, he added.
With the reputation of Finnish food restored the Today presenters and production team devoured what was left. Our thanks go to the Head Chef at the Finnish Embassy, Jaakko Lotjonen, for the following recipe:
Karelian Pies with Smoked Salmon
- Salmon: 1 large fillet or about 200 grammes per person
Crust dough:
- 2 decilitres (0.8 cups) water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2-3 dl wheat flour
- roughly 3 dl (1.2 cups) rye flour (or 5 dl, 2 cups if you do not use the wheat flour)
Filling:
- 5 dl (2 cups) water
- 3 dl (1.2 cups) pudding rice
- 1 litre (4 cups) milk
- 1-1.5 teaspoons salt
Method
- Lightly salt the salmon for six hours. Then smoke for about 20-25 minutes in a smoking oven, ideally using Finnish Alder wood.
- For the pies prepare the filling first. Stir the rice in boiling water and cook over low heat until all the water is absorbed. Add the milk and allow the porridge to boil for 30-35 minutes on low heat while stirring occasionally.
- When it is done, season the porridge with salt. Start preparing the crust while the porridge is cooking. Stir the flour and salt into cold water. Knead the dough until it is solid and even. Form the dough into a bar. Divide it into 25-30 pieces.
- Roll the dough pieces into balls and squeeze them flatter with your hand. Place the flattened pieces under plastic wrap after sprinkling some flour between the pieces to prevent them sticking together. Roll the dough pieces into thin and round or oval piece crusts. Line the crusts up so they overlap and sprinkle the flour between them.
- Before filling the crusts, brush them. Place about 0.5 dl (0.2 cups) filling on each pie crust, spreading to fit the shape of the pie. Gather the pie edges over the filling.
- Bake your pies at 300 degrees Centigrade/ 575 Fahrenheit, for approximately 15 minutes, until they are brown on top and bottom.
- Melt 100 g (3.6 oz) of butter in 2 dl (0.8 cups) of boiling water. Dip the baked pies into the butter and water mixture. Cover them well with a baking sheet and cloth.
Serve the salmon and pies with scrambled egg, lemon juice and dill.
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Finnish Ambassador to Britain, Pertti Salolainen |
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Silvio Berlusconi |
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Antonio Carluccio |
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