Spelt Flat Bread – Spelttirieskat

Rieska is a Finnish flat bread, there exist a wide range of them, especially in the Savo region. Some of them are with yeast, some not. Some of them are very quick to make without kneading, others (the ones with yeast) take longer. They use different types of flour and sometimes include potatoes. But all of them are flat, baked in a very hot oven (220-250 C, whatever your oven manages) and taste best when still warm. They are a perfect companion to Finnish soups. Interestingly enough, it is hard to find them in shops. But they are not hard to make.

Ingredients:

5 dl Buttermilk

50 g Yeast

2 Tbsp Dark Syrup

1 tsp Salt

50 g Melted butter

3 dl Spelt flour

4 dl Wheat flour

Instructions:

Warm up the buttermilk (lukewarm) and add yeast and syrup. Make sure the yeast dissolves and then add the flour. Mix well and add then the salt and melted butter.

The dough should be kneadable and not too sticky (these rieska are not the sticky type), add potentially some more wheat flour if too sticky Knead well (if you have a kitchen machine, use it). Let the dough rise for 45 minutes.

Form then 8 flatbreads and put them on two oven trays. Let them raise another 30 minutes.

The oven should be hot 230-250 C, bake for 8-10 minutes. Best topped with butter or dipped into hot soup.