Lamb, Basmati Rice, and Grape Leaf Pi(e) #PiDay

Coleen, The Redhead Baker, invited her blogging friends to join her for Pi Day 2018.

Last year, for Pi Day 2017, Coleen also hosted and I shared a Gluten-Free Matcha Chocolate Pie. Back in 2015, Terri of Love and Confections wrangled us and I made a savory pie: Curried Lamb Potpie. I decided that I wanted to try my hand at another savory pie.

I will say that our all-time favorite savory pie is my Seafood Pie. It's my most requested dish from family and friends alike! In fact, I just made one for a friend's birthday dinner last weekend. Supposedly it's "palace food" in Morocco; the birthday girl said she would come wearing a tiara.

The Other Pi(e)s

• Beef Stew Pot Pie with Homemade Puff Pastry Topping by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Brownie Mint Pie by Family Around The Table
• Chocolate Coconut Cream Pie by Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
• Chocolate Mint Pie by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie by The Redhead Baker
• Chocolate Velvet Pie with Meringue Crust by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cinnamon Streusel Topped Carrot Pie by Cooking With Carlee
• Coconut Chess Pie by The Spiffy Cookie
• Crazy Easy No Bake Key Lime Pie by Jonesin' For Taste
• Cupcake Tin Mini Pies by Bear & Bug Eats
• Easy Buttermilk Pie Recipe by West Via Midwest
• Easy Lemon Pie by Corn, Beans, Pigs & Kids
• Fresh Strawberry Pie by Palatable Pastime
• Lamb, Basmati Rice, and Grape Leaf Pi(e) by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Mini Lemon Meringue Pies by Cookaholic Wife
• Old Fashioned Coconut Cream Pie by Everyday Eileen
• Shamrock Shake Pie by Kate's Recipe Bow
• Smoked Salmon and Herb Quiche by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Strawberry Lemonade Pie by Cindy's Recipes and Writings
• Torta Pascualina (Spinach Ricotta Pie) by Caroline's Cooking
• Upside Down Apple Pie by Jolene's Recipe Journal

Lamb, Basmati Rice, and Grape Leaf Pi(e)

While I definitely don't qualify as a 'math nerd,' I gave birth to two of them. So, every year, we celebrate Pi Day. Do you need any other reason to math-geek out about Pi Day? It's Albert Einstein's birthday.

I had all of the ingredients because I had planned to make Lamb-Stuffed Grape Leaves this week. So, instead of rolling dolmas, I made Lamb, Basmati Rice, and Grape Leaf Pi(e) for dinner. Is it really a pie? Well, it doesn't have a crust per se, but I have done something similar with phyllo dough and it qualified as a pie. So, I'm going with it.

Ingredients

• jarred large grape leaves, drained
• olive oil
• 1 onion, peeled and diced
• 1 fennel bulb, trimmed and diced
• 1 lb ground lamb
• 1 C fresh tomato sauce
• 1½ t ground cumin
• 2 T fresh oregano, chopped
• 1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 C cooked basmati rice
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 C crumbled feta cheese
• freshly ground salt
• freshly ground pepper

Procedure

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking dish with oil and line the dish with grape leaves so that they cover the bottom and hang over the sides of the dish.

In a large, flat-bottom pan heat a splash of olive oil. Add onions and fennel. Cook until softened and beginning to turn translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add the lamb and cook until completely browned.

Season with ground cumin, oregano, and parsley. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomato sauce, egg, and cooked rice to create your filling. Fill dish with 1-1½" of stuffing. 

Fold leaves over and seal any gaps with remaining leaves to completely enclose filling. Press down gently on the pie. Drizzle with olive oil, cover with foil, and place in the oven.

Bake for 20 minutes then uncover the dish. Return to the oven and bake, uncovered, for another 10 minutes -  until leaves are well-crisped.

Let pie cool for 10 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter. Cut generous wedges and serve with a salad or steamed vegetables.