After the holidays there are always leftovers or foods to use up. I mean cold cuts, cheeses; but also meat, fish, preserved vegetables or fresh vegetables. I usually reuse them in savory preparations like quiches, loaf cakes, sauces, creams, rustic pies, first courses and so on. Today I made this savory pie with a puff pastry base, stuffing it with rice and leftover cold cuts, cheeses and both cooked and raw vegetables. This recipe can be customized as you wish with whatever you already have at home.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Economical
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 12
- Cooking methods: Boiling, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer and Autumn
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups rice (or 14 oz of short pasta)
- 1 cooked zucchini
- 1 raw zucchini
- 2 slices capocollo
- 3 eggs
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup cheeses (about 4 oz; cubed or coarsely grated)
- 1/3 tsp fine salt
- 1 roll puff pastry (gluten-free also fine)
- 2 dried peperoni cruschi (cruschi peppers)
- to taste leek
Steps
Boil the rice for salads or use leftover cooked rice. I preferred to use rice meant for salads because it holds up better to the double cooking—first in water and then in the oven—without falling apart or becoming too soft. It’s just a matter of taste.
If you prefer pasta, 14 oz of short pasta will be enough; cook it for half the time indicated on the package.
When the rice is cooked, drain it very well and let it cool for about ten minutes in a large mixing bowl.
In the meantime, cut the raw zucchini into small cubes. I also added a cooked zucchini that I had left over from a previous preparation.
Cut two or three slices of capocollo or another cold cut of your choice into cubes.
Slice some leek and chop it.
Coarsely grate or cube assorted leftover cheeses, such as Emmental, Taleggio, pecorino romano, etc.
I added two dried peperoni cruschi (cruschi peppers), seeds removed and chopped with a knife, to give an extra flavor note — I assure you the taste of peperone crusco pairs perfectly with the other ingredients in this savory pie. You can replace them with sun-dried tomatoes, raw peppers or cooked peppers cut into small squares.
Preheat the oven to 392°F.
Combine all the ingredients with the cooked rice. Finally, beat the eggs together with the oil and about 1/3 teaspoon of fine salt, pour the mixture over the rice and mix very well.
In a 11–12 inch tart pan, roll out the puff pastry (shortcrust pastry also works well — see shortcrust pastry).
Pour in the filling, level it with the back of a spoon and bake on the middle rack for about 25 minutes. Baking times refer to my oven.
When the pie is golden on top, turn off the oven and let it cool to room temperature before cutting. It’s delicious cold as well or the next day.
