Nettle pie

Method

1. Pick the top four leaves from young nettles in spring, before the plants flower, and wear gloves to do it. Wash them in two changes of cold water.
2. Drop the nettles into boiling salted water for two minutes, drain them, cool them under the tap and squeeze them dry in your hands. The sting goes the moment they hit the water.
3. Chop the blanched nettles. Boil the rice in salted water until just tender and drain it.
4. Soften the spring onions and garlic in a third of the oil, add the nettles, rice and paprika, season well and cook for five minutes to drive off the last of the water. Let the filling cool.
5. Heat the oven to 200°C and oil a large tin. Mix the remaining oil with the sparkling water and keep a brush standing in it.
6. Lay in two sheets of filo, brushing between them, and spread over a third of the filling. Repeat twice, then finish with two sheets on top.
7. Score the pita into squares, brush the top with the oil and water and scatter over the sesame seeds.
8. Bake for fifteen minutes at 200°C, then lower the oven to 180°C for a further twenty-five, until the top is crisp and evenly brown.
9. Cover the tin with a cloth for ten minutes and serve the pita warm.