Savo Kalakukko, Rye-Crust Loaf Baked with Vendace and Pork Belly

What you need

• 300 ml (1 1/4 cups) water
• 2 tsp salt, for the dough, plus 1 tbsp for the filling
• 240 g (2 1/4 cups) rye flour
• 240 g (2 cups) wheat flour, plus extra for rolling
• 25 g (2 tbsp) butter, soft, plus a little melted butter for brushing
• 700 g (1 1/2 lb) small whole fish, vendace or small perch, gutted, heads and fins removed
• 250 g (9 oz) boneless pork belly, unsmoked, cut into slices about 1 cm (1/2 in) thick
• 1 tbsp uncooked rice

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Mix the water, 2 tsp salt, rye flour, wheat flour and butter into a firm, stiff dough. Add a spoonful more wheat flour if it sticks.

2. 2

   Pinch off a small ball of dough and keep it covered for patching later.

3. 3

   On a well-floured surface, roll the rest into a sheet about 30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 in), keeping the middle about 1.5 cm (5/8 in) thick and the edges about 5 mm (1/4 in).

4. 4

   Scatter the rice over the centre of the sheet. It soaks up liquid from the fish so the base does not burst.

5. 5

   Pack the fish on top in tight layers, sprinkling each layer with some of the remaining 1 tbsp salt.

6. 6

   Lay the pork slices over the top of the fish.

7. 7

   Heat the oven to 225 °C (425 °F).

8. 8

   Fold the dough up and over the filling from all sides, wet the joins with cold water and press them firmly together. Rub the seams smooth with wet fingers so the loaf is completely sealed.

9. 9

   Set the loaf seam side down on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake until the crust is browned and set, about 30 min. Patch any cracks with the reserved dough.

10. 10

    Brush the crust with melted butter, wrap the loaf in parchment and then in foil, and lower the oven to 125 °C (255 °F).

11. 11

    Bake slowly for 4-5 hours, until the fish bones are soft enough to eat and the pork is cooked through and tender.

12. 12

    Take the loaf out, wrap it in a clean towel and rest for 30 min.

13. 13

    To serve, cut a lid from the top crust and spoon out the filling with pieces of the crust, or cut it into thick slices.

Imported from mtvuutiset.fi. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.