The dough used in this recipe needs to relax for an hour after mixing, so in the classroom we had the students prepare ahead for the next class.
This preparation involved making the dough, kneading it, then putting it aside for one hour. This pastry is very easy and versatile and can be filled with all manner of savoury combinations.
Ingredients (makes 12 small wedges)
Olive oil pastry:
200g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup cold water
Filling:
15 silverbeet leaves
2 tsp salt
2 medium potatoes
1/2 onion
150g mozzarella
10 stalks parsley
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
1 egg
What to do:
First, make the pastry. Weigh the flour and place in the bowl of the food processor. Add the salt and whizz for a few seconds. Combine the oil and water in a small bowl, then, with the motor running, add to the bowl of the food processor.
Stop the machine when the food forms a ball.
Flour the workbench. Transfer the dough to the workbench and knead for a minute, then place the dough in a large bowl. Cover with a dry tea towel and leave for one hour.
Preheat the oven to 200degC.
While the dough is resting, make the filling. Set out chopping board and knives. Separate the silverbeet leaves from their stems by slicing along each side of the thick central stem.
Slice the stems finely and place in a medium bowl. Rinse the silverbeet leaves and dry in the salad spinner.
Roll the leaves into a loose bunch, then shred with the large knife. Put the leaves in with the stems, add the salt and mix.
Peel the potatoes. Cut the potatoes into quarters and put into a saucepan of cold water with a pinch of salt. Place over high heat and cook for 15 minutes.
While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the following ingredients and place in a second large bowl.
Peel and finely chop the onion. Grate the mozzarella.
Rinse the parsley, dry by rolling in a second tea towel, then chop finely.
Check to see if the potatoes are cooked by testing with a skewer (it should slide in easily).
Set the colander in the sink. Tip the cooked potatoes and water into the colander.
When the potatoes have cooled a little, chop them into bite-sized pieces and place in the large bowl with the onion, mozzarella and parsley.
Mix in a tablespoon of the oil.
Put the silverbeet stems and leaves in the colander and quickly rinse with cold water. Shake to remove the water, then tip into the tea towel used previously to dry the parsley, and roll like a sausage.
Ask someone to twist the tea towel at one end while you twist the other end in the opposite direction - this will squeeze the water out.
Shake the silverbeet stems and leaves from the towel into the bowl with the potatoes and grind on some pepper. Crack the egg into the bowl and mix all the ingredients together.
Place the remaining one tablespoon of oil in the small bowl, then brush a 26cm pizza tray with oil. Roll out two-thirds of the pastry into a large circle.
Lift this pastry circle on to the oiled pizza tray. Pile the potato and silverbeet filling on top of the pastry circle, leaving a clean edge of about 5cm all around.
Roll out the remaining pastry to form a lid, then lay the lid over the filling. It will look a little bumpy as the pastry settles over the filling.
Roll the bottom edge up and over the top outer edge, then pinch together to make a good seal. Prick the pastry lid with a fork, brush it with the remainder of the oil and scatter lightly with salt.
Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven.
Allow to cool for five minutes.
