Host families are always happy to acquaint our students with Russian traditions, especially with Russian cuisine! For Example Marina and our volunteer Rahel baked Russian pies with berries.

APPLY: http://www.enjoyrussian.com/3719/

Do you want to see fairy Karelian nature and take part in an amazing winter festival? You are welcome to “Hyperborea 2016” in Petrozavodsk! Hyperborea fest is an international contest of snow and ice figures, show of snowmen, competition of fishermen and other activities. The performance promises to be exciting! The festival will be conducted from 17th to 21st February 2016.

APPLY: http://www.enjoyrussian.com/3719/

Have you ever seen such Karelian pies? We haven't!

"The recipe I got from Petrozavodsk went into retry in Estonia. Kalitkies (Karelian pies) with potatoes, carrots and apple-redcurrant jam- Приятного аппетита!" - wrote Kadri

One of our students (Kadri from Estonia) has not only learnt Russian in Petrozavodsk but has known a recipe for Kalitkas (traditional Karelian pies). And what do we see? She cooks them at home and even modifies our pies! Isn't it great!?

Apply http://enjoyrussian.com/3686_programs/3689_autumn_russian_courses/

So, as it is said in one of the songs "It's time to be brave"!

"Lessons in the class is only a part of the whole program. And everything else - the people who live here, your hostess, people in the streets, everydaylife with variety of situations - all that make you brave enough to speak and understand more, it gives you a good motivation!" - said Kadri from Estonia.
Apply and become brave http://enjoyrussian.com/3686_programs/3689_autumn_russian_courses/

Learn Russian and cook Karelian pies!

"The kalitki were sooooo good! If I go home, I will do them with carrots, berries and rice!"

Kadri is a lucky one, who can cook our kalitki on her own! Many thanks to volunteers for that :)

Apply http://enjoyrussian.com/3686_programs/3689_autumn_russian_courses/

Apply until June 22!
Levels: Elementary, Basic, 1 Certificate
Dates: July 20 - July 31
Price: 450 EUR (including tuition fee and homestay with breakfast)
Deadline for applying: June 22
Apply here: http://enjoyrussian.com/3719/
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Karelian pies or Kalitki

Kalitki is a traditional Karelian pastry. The word itself came from Finnish “kalittoa”. The fact that it is traditionally made of non-fermented dough proves they were created at least before the IX century. Still there is no evidence they were known somewhere except Karelia before the XX century. Karelian women used to say: «Alito — kyzyy kaheksoa» - “Kalitka needs eight”. That means initially they needed eight ingredients to cook it. Today the recipe is a little bit easier than in the past. Here it is.

Ingredients (for 12 pies)

Rye flour      500 g

Sour cream 125 g

Milk    125 g

Salt 1,4 tea spoon

Egg    1

Butter          2 spoons

Potato         6

The cooking takes about hour and a half.

1. Peel and boil the potatoes , mash into a puree , add a little loosening of the egg, melted butter , salt from the heart , stir and leave aside to cool.

2. Meanwhile, mix in a glass of milk and sour cream: a distinctive feature of kalitki is that for the dough, as a rule, they do not use water , but the dairy products - yogurt, yogurt or sour cream, as in this recipe.

Sift the flour, add salt and gradually add the milk and cream mixture, stirring. Our goal is to add as much cream and milk as the flour can take, creating a flexible, pliable dough. Knead the dough, wrap in foil and let it "rest" for 20-30 minutes.

3. Make a sausage form of the dough, cutting off a piece of it the size of a walnut, roll them on a floured surface into a round scones thickness 1-1.5 mm . Place in the middle of each 2 tablespoons of mashed potato on both sides tucked scones edge to the middle, stung them with an interval of about 1 cm

4.  Put kalitki on a greased baking sheet and bake 20 minutes at 200 degrees .

Learn more about Karelia