Recipe: Vegetable and Rice Picnic Pie

the appetizer:

Learn pie-making, from basic to advanced, in Pie by Angela Boggiano, including recipes for Vegetable and Rice Picnic Pie; Eccles Cakes; and Apple Pie with Cheese Pastry.

I Love Desserts

Vegetable and Rice Picnic Pie

Serves 4-6

This was a pie my mother used to make regularly for snacks, school lunch boxes or for picnics. Rice cakes, or torta as they are known in Italy, are found with a multitude of flavorings, including ham, cheese, herbs, and vegetables. The uncooked rice cooks perfectly inside the pastry crust, giving a tasty, creamy filling that is sturdy enough to travel and to eat on the go.

for the pastry

10oz/300g plain flour
Pinch salt
2/3 cup/ 150ml water
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp milk, to glaze
beaten egg, to glaze

for the filling

1 lb/50g spinach
10oz/300g zucchini, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup/100g risotto rice
1/2 cup/50g grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp sea salt
Salt and ground black pepper

To make the pastry, put the flour and salt in a bowl, then stir in the water and oil to make a smooth, firm dough. Cover with a damp cloth and leave to rest for at least 10 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash the spinach well and place in a large saucepan with just the water that clings to its leaves.

Cook for 5 minutes until wilted completely. Leave to cool, then squeeze out any excess water and chop roughly.

In a large bowl, mix the spinach, zucchini, onion, rice, Parmesan, eggs, and a little salt and pepper.

Halve the pastry and rollout each piece until it is 1/4in/5mm thick. Use one half to line an oiled 8 x 12in/20 x 30cm jelly roll pan. Spoon in the filling, then cover with the remaining pastry. Trim the edges and press well together to seal.

To glaze, mix the milk and beaten egg and brush this on the pie lid, then sprinkle with salt. Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown. Serve warm or cold, cut into squares.