With so many edible greens growing in the garden this pie is different every time it gets made, depending on what's available. A favourite with friends and family this is Roo's signature dish - he prepares it for special events like Christmas as well as birthdays, housewarming or to welcome a new baby, like the one pictured below.
Pastry
Rub 1/2 cup of olive oil through 250g of your preferred plain flour and half a teaspoon of salt with your hands until it is crumbly. Gradually work 1/2 cup water through the mix to from a dough.
Pie Ingredients
Collect and wash a big mixed batch of whatever leafy greens you have available from the following list, choosing young healthy looking leaves without holes or other signs of insect attack:
Amaranth leaves
Asian greens such as bok choi, tatsoi and mizuna
Bean leaves
Beetroot leaves
Borage leaves
Brazilian spinach
Broccoli and cauliflower leaves
Carrot leaves
Celery leaves
Chard
Chick weed
Choko leaves
Dandelion leaves
Herbs such as basil, dill, mint and parsley
Kale
Mustard greens
Nasturtium leaves
Passionfruit leaves
Pea leaves
Perilla
Purslane
Radish leaves
Silverbeet
Sorrel*
Sow thistle
Spinach
Warrigal greens*
*Boil first first 10 minutes and discard water before using
For the pie filling you will also need:
180g firm feta cheese (in dice size cubes)
2 eggs
1/2 cup uncooked rice or 1 cup leftover cooked rice
1 large onion diced
2 cloves crushed garlic
The juice of one lemon
Water
Salt & pepper to taste
Method
Carefully wash the leaves and discard twigs and stems. Drain and chop roughly.
Sautee the chopped onions and garlic in large frying pan or wok.
If you are using uncooked rice add it to the frying onions and garlic and stir continuously until the rice becomes slightly translucent. gradually add liquid and keep stirring as the rice begins to absorb the liquid. Start adding the greens, topping up the liquid for the rice.
Give the mixture salt and pepper, turn the heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Lift the lid and give a good stir checking if you need to add more water for the rice to absorb before covering and letting it simmer again. You may need to do this a few times until the rice is cooked.
If you are using leftover cooked rice simply stir it through the greens and fried onions and let them simmer for a little while.
Before putting the mixture in the the pastry, stir through 2 eggs, the chopped feta and the lemon juice.
Cut the ball of dough in half - one for the base and one for the lid. On a floured surface roll one of the balls of dough out and lay it in a well greased pie dish. Spoon in the mixture and then roll out the lid and place it on top. Any pieces of leftover dough can be used to decorate the top of the pie with writing, christmas trees, plaits or whatever takes your fancy. Use a fork around the edges to make the lid and base stick together and to create a pretty pattern. Also use the fork to piece the lid a few times to allow steam to escape.
Brush over the top of the pie with egg or milk to help it brown and then place in the oven at 200 degrees celcius for 35 minutes.
