The mushroom filling has a bit of an unworldly glow, but it’s tasty!

There’s a bounty of mushrooms in Finland－well over a hundred edible varieties and as many that are poisonous or inedible. Mushroom hunting is a popular pastime, especially in late August, and the treasures are used fresh, dried, smoked and even pickled.

Mushroom pie is a favorite Finnish dish, and since I like shrooms I was inspired to attempt to make sienipiirakka. I didn’t have to look far for the recipe; it was right there in my well-worn Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant cookbook. As if by fate, at Kroger the next day I scored four different kinds of mushrooms on sale. With a side of beets, dinner was set.

Find beautiful varieties from Give and Grow Mushrooms of Macomb County at Detroit’s Eastern Market (above) and other farmer’s markets in the area

Use a mix of mushrooms for a more interesting flavor and texture in this pie. The crust is light and flaky…delish.

The recipe for sienipiirakka looks complicated but it’s almost easier to make than pronounce.

Mushroom Pie – Sienipiirakka
From Sundays at Moosewood Restaurant, Ithaca, New York

Filling
2-1/2 cups chopped onions
3 tablespoons butter
8 cups chopped mushrooms
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
lots of freshly ground black pepper
8 ounces cream cheese

Crust
2-1/2 cups unbleached white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 cup sour cream
flour for coating the dough and board for rolling

Glaze
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

To make the filling, saute the onions in the 3 T butter in a large pot. When the onions are soft and translucent, add the mushrooms and thyme and saute until the mushrooms release their juices. Add the salt and pepper. Cut the cream cheese into small pieces and then stir it into the mushrooms until it melts. Remove from the heat and set aside until the crust is ready.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

For the crust, combine the flour, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer or by hand, cut in the butter just enough to achieve an evenly textured crumbly mix. Stir in the sour cream to form a soft dough. Generously dust the dough with flour and form it into a ball.

On a heavily floured board, roll out 2/3 of the dough to fit a 10-inch pie plate. Trim the edges. Fill with the mushroom mixture. Roll out the remaining dough about 1/4 inch thick (thicker than a usual pie crust) and cut into strips. Weave the strips into a lattice over the filling. Fold the ends of the lattice strips under the bottom crust, pinch the edges together, and flute.

For the glaze, beat the egg and milk. With a pastry brush, thoroughly coat the pie crust.

Bake the pie for 25 to 35 minutes, until the crust is puffy and golden.