The days are lengthening, and the garden thinks it is spring already. The chinese cabbage tat soi is flowering, as is the cavalo nero, and the purple sprouting broccoli is in full throttle.

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I know that the remaining florence fennel won’t last too much longer; the bulbs weigh nearly a kilo, the core inside is lengthening and little babies are sprouting around the base. I want to make something that will use both fennel and cavalo nero, and I think a pie will do the trick.  I use rice in the filling to give it body. Rice in a pie is an Italian thing, mixed with eggs and parmesan it results in a hearty pie that will be just as good at a potluck, a picnic or a simple dinner in front of the fire. I use the filo pastry I have in the frig but you could use a homemade olive oil pastry and make a rustic galette.  I use the coarser outer leaves of the fennel in the pie, and make a fennel and tangelo salad with the baby fennels that are sprouting around the outside of the bulb, to take out to lunch.

Ingredients

• 600 gm fennel cut into 5 mm slices
• 100 gm cavalo nero, or other kale, sliced thinly through the leaves and mid rib
• 1 brown onion, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup arborio rice
• 1 ½ cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 100 gm parmesan, grated
• 4 sheets of phyllo pastry (or homemade olive oil pastry)
• More olive oil to brush on the pastry

Method

1. Cook the fennel, onion and garlic in the olive oil in a wide based pan, uncovered, until the vegetables have melted down and are starting to caremelise.
2. Add the kale and the rice and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes more.
3. Pour in the stock, bring to the boil, then cover and turn down the heat so it is barely simmering and let the rice cook, about 15 minutes.
4. When the rice is al dente (still slightly firm to the bite) remove from the heat and allow it to cool a little while you prepare the pastry.
5. Preheat the oven to 180 C fan bake.
6. Take a 23 cm pie dish and brush it with olive oil. Drape a piece of phyllo over the pie dish and press it gently into place leaving the edges hanging over the sides of the pie dish and onto the bench. Brush the base of the pastry with olive oil. Repeat with a second piece of phyllo, this time placing it at right angles to the first piece, then place a third piece in the same manner, but this time diagonally to the first two, brushing the base with olive oil. Lay the fourth and final piece at right angles to the third piece.
7. If using homemade olive oil pastry follow the recipe and method in this Spinach and feta pie recipe.
8. Stir the eggs and parmesan through the fennel mixture. Adjust the seasoning if necessary, then pile into the pie dish. Fold the overhanging pastry into the middle, sheet by sheet, and brush with oil in between each layer until the top of the pie is covered. Brush the top with more olive oil.
9. Cook for 40 minutes until golden.