History

The lihapiirakka, a fried dough pocket of minced meat and rice, is Finnish grill-kiosk and bakery food at its most beloved. Eromanga near Kasarmitori has fried it to a secret recipe since 1946, and the loaded version with sausage and egg, the vesisemmu, is a Helsinki institution for late nights and quick lunches alike.

Common allergens: Gluten, Egg

Make it at home

Yield Makes 8 piesHands-on 45 minTotal 2 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 300ml milk, lukewarm
  • 15g fresh yeast
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 500g plain flour
  • 2 tablespoons melted butter
  • For filling: 300g minced beef, 150g cooked rice, 1 onion, salt, pepper, allspice
  • Neutral oil for deep frying

Method

  1. Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the milk, then mix in salt, flour and butter to a soft dough and prove 1 hour.
  2. Fry the onion, brown the mince, season with salt, pepper and allspice, then mix with the cooked rice and cool.
  3. Roll the dough thin and cut into rounds; spoon filling onto half of each, fold over and seal into half-moons.
  4. Heat oil to 180C and fry the pies a few at a time until deep golden, about 3 minutes, turning once.
  5. Drain on paper and serve hot with mustard and ketchup, or topped with a sausage and fried egg.

Tip from the editors. Seal the edges firmly and keep the oil at 180C so the dough cooks through before the crust burns.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat lihapiirakka (finnish meat pie)

Lihapiirakka (Finnish meat pie) in Helsinki

Eromanga ★ 4.0

keskusta

Why locals love it: An old-school bakery-cafe near Kasarmitori whose lihapiirakka meat pie has been made to a secret 1946 recipe, a pre-war Helsinki ritual hiding in plain sight.

Tip: Order the meat pie with sausage and a fried egg. Weekday daytime only; it is a working bakery, not a destination room.

Pohjoinen Makasiinikatu 6, 00130 Helsinki

More cities are in research. Want lihapiirakka (finnish meat pie) covered somewhere specific? Tell us where you want to eat.

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