Description
The Kainuun Rönttönen PGI is a pie whose crust is made with rye, wheat flour, rape oil, salt and cold water. The filling consists of potatoes, rye flour, red lingonberry compote and a little bit of sugar and salt, all glazed by a layer of melted butter.
Production Area
The production area of Kainuun Rönttönen PGI in the Kainuu region, located in Oulu province.
Production Method
It is prepared in three phases. First the filling is prepared by peeling the potatoes, cooking them well and mashing them. Rye flour is added and mixed into this purée. The mixture is left to settle for two or three hours at ambient temperature. Then, the sweetened lingonberry compote and the salt are added. The mixture for the crust is prepared by dissolving the salt in cold water and by adding the rye and wheat flour, and a little bit of yeast. Then, it is thoroughly kneaded and finally rape oil is added. Afterwards, the dough is rolled out, forming a disc with a thickness of 2 mm. From this disc, smaller discs with a 50 to 130 mm diameter are cut again and amply stuffed with filling which is spread out, leaving a 1 cm space at the edge. Finally, the pie is closed by folding the edges of the dough towards the filling, leaving the central part open. They are placed on a baking sheet and cooked in the oven at high temperature until they become crispy and golden brown. Once removed from the oven, melted butter is spread on the edges.
Appearance and Flavour
Kainuun Rönttönen PGI is a round small pie which is open in the upper part. It is reddish-brown and has a sweet flavour.
History
The history of Kainuun Rönttönen PGI is related to the culinary tradition of oven-baked products in the Kainuu region. According to some written testimonies about the origin of this product, in ancient times when food was scarce, especially at the end of winter, farmers used the last remaining potatoes and lingonberries. They cooked these ingredients together on a rye flour crust, thus obtaining small pies which were carried by farmers who worked in the woods.
Gastronomy
Kainuun Rönttönen PGI must be kept at room temperature for one or two days, covered by a cloth or in paper bags. If it is necessary to preserve it for one extra week, it can be kept in cold storage. Pies can be frozen before and after cooking, if it is desirable to preserve them for a longer time. For best results, they should be served after letting them cool slightly, once they are crispy. If they have been kept in the refrigerator, it is better to heat them again slightly before consumption. Generally, they were served as a side-dish for soups, and this tradition persists still today. These pies have become a nutritious snack for adults and children and require just a bit of butter, according to taste. It can be combined perfectly with coffee and it is ideal as a snack when travelling.
Marketing
The product is sold as Kainuun Rönttönen PGI. It is marketed loose or in packages of varying weight.
Distinctive Features
A typical feature of Kainuun Rönttönen PGI is its sweet taste, obtained by the sweetening of potatoes while the mixture of the filling is left to stand. In this way the acidification process makes the crust light and succulent. Another distinctive characteristic is that, starting from the measuring of the ingredients, pies are prepared 100% by hand. Machines are only used to help to roll and knead the dough and to peel the potatoes.
