Karelian Gates

8 servings

120 minutes

Karelian kalitki are a traditional pastry of Russian cuisine that comes from Karelia. These golden open pies made from rye dough feature a tender potato filling enriched with butter, sour cream, and eggs. The secret to their unique taste lies in the thin dough with a rich rye hue and the aromatic baked crust formed by brushing the filling with sauce before baking. Kalitki are baked until golden and then soaked in melted butter, making them even softer and more appetizing. They are perfect as a standalone dish or as an accompaniment to tea or soups. Historically, these pies were an important part of the Karelian diet, providing nutrition and simplicity of preparation from accessible ingredients.

Energy value per serving

• Calories: 286.6
• Proteins: 8.2g
• Fats: 12g
• Carbohydrates: 37.2g

Ingredients

• Rye flour: 1 glass
• Wheat flour: 1 glass
• Butter: 50 g
• Chicken egg: 2 pc
• Sour cream: 3 tbsp
• Potato: 6 pc
• Cream: 0.2 l
• Kefir: 1 glass

Cooking steps

1. The filling is regular mashed potatoes. Make it according to your recipe or use this: boil potatoes, add 1 chicken or 3-4 quail eggs, butter, warmed cream, and a spoon of sour cream.

   Required ingredients:

   • Potato: 6 pieces
   • Chicken egg: 2 pieces
   • Butter: 50 g
   • Cream: 0.2 l
   • Sour cream: 3 tablespoons

2. For the test, mix rye and wheat flour, kefir, and a little salt. If you want a more authentic Karelian dough, increase the proportion of rye flour at the expense of wheat. Roll the dough into a sausage shape, wrap it in film, and put it in the fridge. Let it cool a bit.

   Required ingredients:

   • Rye flour: 1 glass
   • Wheat flour: 1 glass
   • Kefir: 1 glass

3. We cut a small piece from the dough and roll it into a round flatbread. You can cut the circle using a saucer or simply trim it with a knife. Beauty doesn't matter much here. We place mashed potatoes on the flatbread and spread it out. Then we pinch the edges of the caltiki.

   Required ingredients:

   • Potato: 6 pieces

4. The filling in the kalitka needs to be brushed with sauce. This is a very important step, as the crust formed by the sauce is the most delicious and beautiful part of the kalitka. In a bowl, mix 1 chicken egg and 2 tablespoons of sour cream. Use a brush to coat the mashed potatoes.

   Required ingredients:

   • Chicken egg: 2 pieces
   • Sour cream: 3 tablespoons

5. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees until a golden crust forms on the filling.

6. Grease the finished gates with melted butter.

   Required ingredients:

   • Butter: 50 g