Rasstegai is a traditional pastry with a hole in the center, which is stuffed with a wide variety of fillings – from liver with eggs to rice with mushrooms. However, the traditional stuffing is minced fish such as sturgeon or salmon. The pastry is made with flour, yeast, milk, eggs, butter, sugar, and salt, while the fish filling is typically combined with onions, butter, and cream.

Traditionally, rasstegai is served as an accompaniment to soups and broths – the hole in the pastry is used to add broth to the filling.