| Kalakukko | |
| Name Lang: | fi |
| Name Italics: | true |
| Country: | Finland |
| Region: | Northern Savonia |
| Type: | Savoury pie |
| Main Ingredient: | Bread (rye flour), fish (usually vendace, European perch, or salmon) |
is a traditional Finnish dish from the region of Savonia made from fish (e.g., perch, vendace, loach, smelt, or salmon) baked inside a loaf of bread. is especially popular in Kuopio, capital city of the Northern Savonia region. Kuopio is home to many bakeries. The city also hosts an annual baking contest.[1]
Traditionally, is prepared with rye flour (like), although wheat is often added to make the dough more pliable. The filling consists of fish, pork and bacon, and is seasoned with salt (unless the pork is already salted). After being baked for several hours, traditionally in a masonry oven, looks much like a large loaf of rye bread. If prepared correctly, bones of the fish soften and the meat and fish juices cook thoroughly inside the bread. This results in a moist filling.
Traditionally, the fish used in is either vendace (Finnish: muikku), or European perch (Finnish: ahven). Sometimes salmon is used. In southern Savonia the vendace is advocated as the only fish for the true whereas in the northern parts of the province the same is said about the perch. Instead of fish, combinations of potato and pork or rutabaga and pork are also used. The appropriate drink to accompany is buttermilk or .
will keep for a long time when unopened. It used to be a practical lunch for workers away from home.
can be reheated in an oven. It takes about one hour in if the size of the is about . It can also be eaten cold. The usual way to eat is to open the top with a sharp knife, eat the top with butter, and then slice some of the bread making the hole on the top larger and eat it with the filling.
Some Finnish speakers today find the name somewhat amusing, as is Finnish for "fish" and is "rooster", leading to the often used but non-morphological translation, "fish cock". Previous theories suggested that the archaic form of is derived from the same root as (purse). also might come from a Finnish word of, hill, because the dish is elevated. However, in 2008 new research demonstrated that is a loan from Low German and shares the same origin as modern German (to cook) and English cake.[2]
obtained Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) status in Europe in 2002.[3]
Hanna Partanen's (1891–1969) bakery in Kuopio, Northern Savonia was Finland's most famous bakery at its time. Famous guests have included American presidents and Soviet leaders along with President of Finland Urho Kekkonen. The bakery still bakes by hand from Finnish materials in the same central location at Kasarmikatu 15 in Kuopio. The bakery is currently run by Hanna's grandson Lauri Partanen and employs 10 to 20 people depending on the season.[4]