Mushroom, rice and greens pie

This delicious, wholesome pie is an ode to a pie Jaimee ate in the Blue Mountains, which she has never forgotten. We’ve made this a bottomless pie, so you don’t need to blind bake, making it an excellent midweek meal. Here we’ve used a wholemeal olive oil pastry, making it a good choice for our dairy-free friends. The added dried herbs and salt make the pastry earthy and flavoursome.

Serving Size

Serves 4-6

WHAT YOU NEED

2 cups (450 g) mushroom bolognese (page 152)
3 tablespoons grated ginger
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 cups (370 g) cooked brown rice
2 cups (200 g) thinly sliced kale (cabbage, silverbeet/Swiss chard and fennel also work well)
Olive oil, for greasing

Olive oil pastry

250 g (9 oz) plain (all-purpose) flour, plus extra for dusting
120 g (4¼ oz) wholemeal (whole wheat) flour
1½ teaspoons sea salt
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
2 tablespoons mixed dried herbs
½ cup (125 ml) olive oil
½ cup (125 ml) cold water

WHAT TO DO

To make the olive oil pastry, in a food processor, whiz up the flours, salt, bicarbonate of soda and herbs. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a steady stream until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Slowly add the water until the dough comes together. Tip the dough onto a floured workbench and knead for 5 minutes. Wrap in a tea towel or beeswax wrap and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the mushroom bolognese, ginger and soy sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until warmed through. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and stir through the brown rice and kale.

Grease a 24 cm (9 ½ inch) pie dish or glass ovenproof dish and fill with the pie mixture.

To roll out the pastry, cut two large sheets of baking paper (this is a delicate pastry that needs to be rolled between the layers of paper). Start by rolling the pastry out to a 10 cm (4 inch) round. Place between the sheets of baking paper and roll the pastry out to a 30 cm (12 inch) circle.

Very carefully lift the pastry and place it over the filling and remove the baking paper. Tuck the pastry in around the filling, then bake for 20–30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

Tip

If you have any pastry left over, wrap it well and freeze for up to 3 months.

A batch of mushroom Bolognese

For a more sustainable kitchen, meat eaters need to reduce their consumption by half, particularly when it comes to beef. Spaghetti bolognese is a staple in so many homes, and our own children were raised on it. And while we’re not condemning spag bol, we have both cut back on the amount of times it appears on the table. This recipe looks like a meaty stew, but definitely tastes like mushrooms. Make up a batch and then use it to make any of the following dishes.

The secret to this recipe is to add the ingredients one stage at a time. This builds up a more complex flavour and creates a ragu texture, rather than stewed mushrooms.

Heat 100 ml (3½ fl oz) olive oil in a large frying pan over medium–low heat and sauté 2 finely chopped onions and 2 finely chopped celery stalks or leeks with a good pinch of salt for 10 or more minutes until very soft and sweet. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon black pepper and 1 tablespoon dried thyme or oregano (if using fresh, add a little more) and sauté for a few minutes until fragrant. Add 1 cup (250 ml) red wine and 1 tablespoon miso and stir well, then simmer for a few more minutes. Gradually add 3 teaspoons plain (all-purpose) flour, a teaspoon at a time, stirring constantly to make a thickened gravy-like sauce.

Add 1 kg (2 lb 4 oz) grated button or field mushrooms, a large handful at a time, allowing each handful to cook down into the sauce before adding more. Once all the mushrooms are in, add 2 tablespoons tomato paste (concentrated purée), 1 cup (250 ml) beef bone, chicken or vegetable stock and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce and simmer over low heat for at least 15 minutes. Taste, adjust the seasoning where needed, and add more stock if you feel like the mixture is too thick.

Makes 4 cups (900 g)


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