Pirozhki with rice, eggs and spring onions

Russian pirozhki encompass a whole range of pies, from baked to fried, from meat-stuffed to vegetarian, from a bite-sized pie to a pie as big as your hand. They are made from different kinds of dough and pastry as well. I prefer to bake them, as this is a healthier option.
They are very handy to carry to picnics, convenient to eat and pass around. Last year I have posted a recipe for pirozhki with potatoes and wild mushrooms. Today I am sharing another Russian recipe for pirozhki with rice, eggs and spring onions.

You might remember me mentioning earlier this year that I have been selected as one of Shortcut Eggsperts programme with BritMums and British Lion eggs. This month's challenge is to create an eggs-based recipe for a summer outdoor dining. The task was to move away from the traditional Quiche Lorraine and egg-mayo sandwiches. So, today I am cheering the Russian team at World Cup with the Russian pirozhki.

Pirozhki with rice, eggs and spring onions (makes 25+)
Ingredients;
Jus-Rol shortcrust pastry (rolled)
100g cooked rice
2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped
2 spring onions, chopped
a handful of fresh parsley
1tbsp olive oil
thick Greek style yogurt, to serve with

You can make your own shortcrust pastry, of course, but I prefer to use the Jus-Rol, it is certainly better than my own handmade version (mine is too short to stretch well, and not as elastic)

In a mixing bowl mix the cooked rice with the chopped hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped parsley and spring onions. Unroll the shortcrust pastry and using a cookie cutter, cut out the circles. Slightly stretch each one before putting a teaspoon of stuffing in it. Fold in two, pinch in the middle and then keep going round the edges, pinching as you go, to seal it as a mini-envelope.
Place the pirozhki on two trays covered with the oiled foil, and cook in the oven at 180C for about 15-20 minutes, until the pastry is golden.
Serve with the soured cream or thick Greek style yogurt.
They are lovely hot, but are also nice cold with a flask of hot tea.

For more egg facts and information, visit Egginfo.

Chris from Cooking Around the World has challenged the foodies to take part in a culinary-football-themed game this month. Read all about the rules of the game in his linky Bloggers Around the World.

Cooks Joy hosts a lovely vegetarian recipe linky Bake Fest, and I'm adding my recipe to it this month.

Disclosure: I received vouchers to spend on food for the purposes of developing a recipe for Summer Challenge with #ShortcutEggsperts