 | This articleneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Kalakukko" – news ·newspapers ·books ·scholar ·JSTOR(August 2009) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
 | |
| Type | Savoury pie |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Finland |
| Region or state | Northern Savonia |
| Main ingredients | Bread (rye flour), fish (usuallyvendace,European perch, orsalmon) |
.jpg)
Kalakukko (Finnish:[ˈkɑlɑˌkukːo]) is a traditionalFinnish dish from the region ofSavonia made from fish (e.g., perch, vendace, loach, smelt, or salmon) baked inside a loaf of bread.Kalakukko is especially popular inKuopio, capital city of theNorthern Savonia region. Kuopio is home to manykalakukko bakeries. The city also hosts an annualkalakukko baking contest.[1]
Traditionally,kalakukko is prepared with rye flour (likeruisleipä), although wheat is often added to make the dough more pliable. The filling consists offish,pork andbacon, and is seasoned withsalt (unless the pork is already salted). After being baked for several hours, traditionally in amasonry oven,kalakukko looks much like a large loaf ofrye 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 inkalakukko is eithervendace (Finnish:muikku), orEuropean perch (Finnish:ahven). Sometimes,salmon is used. In southern Savonia the vendace is advocated as the only fish for the truekalakukko whereas in the northern parts of the province the same is said about the perch. Instead of fish, combinations of potato and pork, orrutabaga and pork are also used. The appropriate drink to accompanykalakukko isbuttermilk orpiimä.
Kalakukko will keep for a long time when unopened. It used to be a practical lunch for workers away from home.
Kalakukko can be reheated in an oven. It takes about one hour in 130 °C (266 °F) if the size of thekalakukko is about 1 kilogram (2.2 lb). It can also be eaten cold. The usual way to eatkalakukko 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 namekalakukko somewhat amusing, askala is Finnish for "fish" andkukko is "rooster", leading to the often used but non-morphological translation, "fish cock". Previous theories suggested that the archaic form ofkukko is derived from the same root askukkaro (purse).Kukko also might come from a Finnish word ofkukkula, hill, because the dish is elevated. However, in 2008 new research demonstrated thatkukko is a loan fromLow German and shares the same origin as modern Germanküchen (to cook) and Englishcake.[2]
Kalakukko obtainedTraditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) status in Europe in 2002.[3]
Hanna Partanen's (1891–1969)kalakukko bakery inKuopio,Northern Savonia was Finland's most famouskalakukko bakery at its time. Famous guests have included American presidents and Soviet leaders along withPresident of FinlandUrho Kekkonen. The bakery still bakeskalakukko 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]
Media related toKalakukko at Wikimedia Commons
