My Aunt Had a "Flour Thumb"

My Mother's sister, Maija Karvanen had a "flour thumb". She was an excellent baker!! Our family's favorite of hers is made with something we don't have here, "rahka" and vanilla sugar, you can only get at a Scandanavian store. Growing up, our Mother used to use small curd cottage cheese, which she'd strain the whey from and mix some cream cheese with it for the "rahka". When I came across her handwritten recipe this week, I made it with ricotta cheese and it tastes pretty close, yet not perfect. Vanilla sugar looks like powdered sugar with flecks of vanilla bean in it. You can try just vanilla instead.

Rahkapiirakka Crust

150 gr. voita 1 1/3 cubes butter
1 dl. sokeria 3/4 c sugar
1 kanamuna 1 egg
4 dl vehnäjauhoja 3 cups flour
1 tl. levinjauhetta 1 tsp. baking powder

Mix the ingredients above together and press it into a lightly sprayed round quiche pan, including up the sides, to form the crust. Now make the filling below.

Täyte Filling

1 purkki (2 dl) rahkaa 1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
1 kanamuna 1 egg
1 dl. sokeria 3/4 c sugar
2 tl. vaniljasokeria 2 tsp. vanilla

Mix together and pour onto the unbaked crust. Bake at 325 degrees for about 25 minutes or until the filling is set and a knife comes out clean.

Enjoy this taste of Finland!