Publication of the amended product specification following the approval of a minor amendment pursuant to the second subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012

(2019/C 434/12)

The European Commission has approved this minor amendment in accordance with the third subparagraph of Article 6(2) of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 (1).

The application for approval of this minor amendment can be consulted in the Commission’s DOOR database.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATION OF A TRADITIONAL SPECIALITY GUARANTEED

‘KARJALANPIIRAKKA’

EU No: TSG-FI-0015-AM01 – 8.5.2019

Finland

1.   Name(s) to be registered

‘Karjalanpiirakka’

2.   Type of product

Class 2.24. Bread, pastry, cakes, confectionery, biscuits and other baker’s wares

3.   Grounds for registration

3.1.   Whether the product

☒ results from a mode of production, processing or composition corresponding to traditional practice for that product or foodstuff;

☐ is produced from raw materials or ingredients that are those traditionally used.

Determining factors in the traditional method of preparing ‘Karjalanpiirakka’, which can be translated as ‘Karelian pie’ or ‘Karelian pirogi’, are: rolling out the crust dough into round or oval pirogi crusts that are as thin as possible - nearly translucent - and 10-24 cm in diameter or length, spreading the filling on top of the dough about 1-2 cm away from the edges, and folding the edges into the filling and wrinkling them so that the pirogi remains open in the middle. The pirogi are baked quickly at high temperatures, as this results in a crisp crust and affects the taste of the ‘Karjalanpiirakka’.

3.2.   Whether the name

☒ has been traditionally used to refer to the specific product;

☐ identifies the traditional character or specific character of the product.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the ‘Karjalanpiirakka’ found its way to the area corresponding to the Province of Eastern Finland before spreading throughout Finland and even to Sweden along with persons displaced from Finnish Karelia during the Second World War. The oval, open version of these pirogi received the name ‘Karjalanpiirakka’ (‘Karelian pirogi’) when its use became widespread outside Karelia.

4.   Description

4.1.   Description of the product to which the name under point 1 applies, including its main physical, chemical, microbiological or organoleptic characteristics showing the product's specific character (Article 7(2) of the Regulation)

The ‘Karjalanpiirakka’ is an open, rather flat savoury pie consisting of a thin crust and a core containing the filling. It is usually 7-20 cm in size. These pirogi are usually oval but may also be round. The crust is open on top. The edges of the crust are folded into the filling and wrinkled. The ‘Karjalanpiirakka’ has a crisp crust. The crust usually makes up about one third of the entire product, with about two thirds consisting of the filling.

4.2.   Description of the production method of the product to which the name under point 1 applies that the producers must follow including, where appropriate, the nature and characteristics of the raw materials or ingredients used, and the method by which the product is prepared (Article 7(2) of the Regulation)

The first step when making ‘Karjalanpiirakka’ is to boil the filling. The filling usually consists of pearl barley porridge or pearl rice porridge or of mashed potatoes. These can be replaced with mashed vegetables, such as swede, carrot, turnip, cabbage or mushrooms. The mashed potatoes may also be made from dried potato flakes.

The ingredients of the crust dough are water, salt and rye or wheat flour. The dough is rolled out to make small pirogi crusts that are as thin as possible, nearly translucent. The thinness of the crust makes the ‘Karjalanpiirakka’ crispy. The edges of the crust are folded into the filling and wrinkled. The pirogi are baked in the oven at a very high temperature of about 250–300 °C for 15-20 minutes. The quick baking process and high temperature are essential to preserving the product’s moistness

The filling is prepared by bringing to a boil 1 litre (1 kg) of water, milk or a lactose-free milk drink, or water and milk powder/lactose-free milk powder and by mixing them with 2 dl (180 g) of rice or barley grits. Rice porridge is boiled for 0.5-1 hours and barley porridge for a longer time. The porridge may be flavoured with salt. About 275-350 g of flour and 200 g of water is used for the crust dough.

The pirogi are often brushed immediately after baking or after warming them up. Butter, oil or a mixture of water and milk or of water and a milk drink, sometimes also egg, is used for this purpose.

4.3.   Description of the key elements establishing the product's traditional character (Article 7(2) of the Regulation)

There are mentions of traditional pirogi-style pastries composed of a crust and filling in an area stretching from Karelia to Siberia and China. Karelia lies on the northwestern edge of this area. The oval, open Karelian version of these pirogi received the name ‘Karjalanpiirakka’ (‘Karelian pirogi’) when its use became widespread outside Karelia.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the ‘Karjalanpiirakka’ found its way to the area of present-day eastern Finland before spreading throughout Finland and even to Sweden along with persons displaced from Finnish Karelia during the Second World War. The first written information about the ‘Karjalanpiirakka’ dates from 1686.

Determining factors in the traditional method of preparing ‘Karjalanpiirakka’ are: rolling out the crust dough into round or oval pirogi crusts that are as thin as possible - nearly translucent - and 10-24 cm in diameter or length, spreading the filling on top of the dough about 1-2 cm away from the edges, and folding the edges into the filling and wrinkling them so that the pirogi remains open in the middle. The pirogi are baked quickly at high temperatures, as this results in a crisp crust and affects the taste of the ‘Karjalanpiirakka’.

(1)  Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 664/2014 of 18 December 2013 supplementing Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council with regard to the establishment of the Union symbols for protected designations of origin, protected geographical indications and traditional specialities guaranteed and with regard to certain rules on sourcing, certain procedural rules and certain additional transitional rules (OJ L 179, 19.6.2014, p. 17).