Hunza Pie

A flavoursome spinach, cheese and rice pie, wrapped in moreish wholemeal short pastry. This is a recipe I have been refining for years, finally arriving at the perfect combination of nutty brown rice, three cheeses and spinach. Supposedly originating in the Hunza Valley in Asia, this was a popular "hippy" dish in the 60's.

• Ready In: 1 hr 5 mins
• Serves: 8
• Yields: 2 pies

Ingredients

• 2  cups plain flour
• 2  cups  whole meal flour
• 125  g  chopped butter
• 1⁄3 cup cold water
• 1  tablespoon butter
• 1  large  brown onion, finely diced
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 1  bunch fresh spinach, chopped and wilted or 1 (10 ounce) packet frozen spinach, cooked
• 100  g  crumbled feta
• 250  g ricotta cheese
• 200  g  grated  tasty cheese
• 3  cups cooked brown rice
• 3  eggs, beaten
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh chives
• 1  pinch cayenne
• 1  pinch salt
• 1  pinch black pepper
•  nutmeg, to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 200°C.
2. Combine flours and butter in a food processor. Process until mixture resembles bread crumbs.
3. Add cold water and process until dough comes together.
4. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth, 4-5 minutes.
5. Wrap dough in cling wrap and refrigerate until needed.
6. Melt the butter over medium heat.
7. Add the onion and garlic and cook until soft.
8. Remove from pan and allow to cool.
9. In a large mixing bowl, combine the spinach, feta, ricotta, cheese and eggs, stirring to combine.
10. Add the rice and onion.
11. Season generously with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
12. Divide pastry into 4.
13. Roll ¼ of pastry into round (dinner plate size) approximately 2mm thick. Place on baking tray.
14. Heap ½ of filling onto pastry, leaving 2cm rim around outside. Cover with second rolled out piece of pastry. Crimp edges. Slash top to vent steam.
15. Make second pie with remaining pastry and filling.
16. Bake for 10 minutes at 200C, then reduce oven to 180C and bake for a further 40 minutes.
17. Pie is ready when pastry is golden.