Easter Sunday lunch: Ligurian pie with rice and wild greens

I hope you’re going to enjoy today’s recipe, as it is very beloved by all of us in the family and at Il Rigo!
It comes from the tradition of Ligurian Ponente (the mounties side), where Lorenza comes from.
It’s a very versatile recipe as it can be prepared with different vegetables and greens, according with the season. In this time of the year we prepare it with wild greens, that are growing lushly in the countryside around Il Rigo.
It’s a great starter for your Easter lunch, but it’s perfect to share with friends as it can be prepared in advance and easily carried around, cut in little squares is a great addition to a savoury buffet.

It is definitely one of my mum’s iconic recipe!

Ligurian pie with rice and wild greens

Ingredients (for 1 pie of 30cm diameter):

for the filling:
200g rice
600g of wild mixed greens (but you can also use zucchini, Swiss chard, artichokes, or squash , use only one kind)
1 litre milk
1 onion
2 eggs
salt, pepper
grated parmesan

for the pastry:
200g plain flour
extra virgin olive oil
water 100ml circa
salt

Make the pastry by mixing together the flour, a drizzle of olive oil, water and salt until it is soft and smooth (like strudel pastry). Wrap in cling film and leave to stand for at least half an hour.

In the meantime cook the rice in the milk until all the milk has been absorbed but the mixture should still be creamy. Beware: do not put salt in the milk, it will curdle.

Blanch the greens in a pot with salted boiling water. Let them boil for a couple of minutes and move them then in a bowl with ice-cold water. Like that you stop them from overcooking and you help to keep a bright green colour!

Drain the greens and squeeze out all the water, pressing them with your hands. Than chop them finely with the mezzaluna or with a knife. Sautèe than in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil and with finely chopped onion.

Mix vegetables with the rice, add the eggs, salt, pepper and parmesan, taste and adjust. Some leaves of fresh marjoram can add a nice touch to the filling.
Roll out the pastry as thinly as possible and place it in a round greased tin at least 30 cm in diameter. Leave it so it overlaps the tin. Add the filling so that it is about 3-4 cm thick. Fold the pastry back over the filling but leave a hole in the middle about 4-6 cm in diameter.

Dust with parmesan and a little oil and place in a hot oven until it turns golden ( 40-50 minutes).

Cut into squares and serve warm.

Foraged greens: the most common ones around Il Rigo

A: Capsella bursa-pastoris

B: wild rapeseed

C: dandelion

D: sow-thistle

E: borrage

F: oxtongue

G: wild chard

H: wild poppy

If you go shopping for greens in the supermarket, you will be lucky to find one or two kinds of leaf vegetables to choose from. Spinach, chard, chicory are some more commonly cultivated greens you can buy. However nature is so rich in biodiversity and there are so many edible wild plants that can add taste and nutrients to your dishes. These plants are often called “weeds”, and you might find some of these at the edge of your garden!

If you are not sure though, ask for an expert advice, as there are some herbs that are poisonous too!
April is a great month to pick the herbs, as they should be harvested when they are in the stadium of rosette, before they start to form the bloom.

We hope these recipes with light up your mood, and will bring some memories of your stay in Tuscany to your homes!

A big hug from the hills and BUON APPETITO