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by Crystal Schlueter
Last weekend I had the honor of speaking at the Sisu Heritage Inc. annual meeting in Embarrass.
I demonstrated an old Finnish flatbread recipe called ruisreikäleipä (often shortened to reikäleipä). Ruis means rye, reikä means hole, & leipä means bread.
This bread is far different than the Americanized Finnish flatbreads that are commonly sold at local events. Authentic flatbreads typically contained all rye or barley flour and were quite dense.
This bread in particular was made in large batches and hung on long wooden poles in the rafters, usually above a woodstove, which helped to dry the bread. The drying process preserved the reikäleipä, which ensured the bread would last for many months.
Reikäleipä was historically made with a starter that was fermented for several days instead of using dried yeast that is accessible today.
If you are interested in that process, I will be detailing more on it in my cookbook that will be available in the fall of 2026.
If you would like to learn more about the cultural preservation efforts of Sisu Heritage Inc. or to become a member, please head to sisuheritage.org.
Ingredients:
3 cups Homestead Mills Rye Flour (plus extra for dusting) 1 envelope (0.25 ounces) or 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast 2 cups lukewarm water 1 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour and yeast. Add the water, vinegar, and salt. Using a Danish dough whisk or wooden spoon, beat the dough until combined. The dough will be very sticky. Cover and let stand in a warm place for about two hours or until significantly risen and bubbly. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Using a large ice cream scoop, scoop the dough into 4 large mounds over the two cookie sheets. Using wet hands, pat each mound to a 1/4 inch circle (re-wet hands as needed). Dust the tops with a little extra flour to soak up the excess moisture. Use a floured bench scraper to score each circle into 8 pieces. Take a small jar or cookie cutter (2 to 3 inches in diameter) a cut out the center of each circle. Use a small spatula to scrape out the centers. Let rise in a warm place (uncovered) for 30-60 minutes or until slightly risen. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Once ready to bake, use the floured tines of a fork to dock the dough all over. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the edges start turning dark brown. Let cool completely on the pans, then cut or tear into wedges. Serve with salted butter or topping of choice. Yield: 4 flatbreads, 16 servings (2 slices per serving).
