Torta di Riso

[Carrot Top]

Torta di Riso

Serves 6 as Dessert.

There is a magnificent Torta di Riso (rice custard cake) in the Williams-Sonoma cookbook series. Served with a cherry-vin santo compote, to me it is the epitome of the soul of Tuscan cooking. Simple and evocative of the warm pleasures of hearth and home - no hints of pretension yet pure, strong, proud. Almost naive yet imbued with a canny instinctual intelligence.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190C)

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1 lb. cherries

1 Tbs. butter

1 Tbs. sugar

1/4 C vin santo

1 tsp. almond extract

1. Put cleaned and halved cherries, butter, sugar in pan over high heat for three minutes till beginning to soften. Take off heat, add vin santo and almond extract. Over medium heat, cook till alcohol has evaporated (several moments). Set aside.

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Semolina flour and butter to dust pan

1/2 C short-grain white rice

2 C milk

7 eggs

1 C plus 2 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp. rum

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1/2 tsp. lime zest

1. Lightly butter a 9" round cake pan -dust with semolina flour.

2. Bring enough lightly salted water to a boil over high heat to allow rice to cook "freely". Add rice, reduce heat to medium high, boil ten minutes. (Test to be sure rice is not too underdone before draining.) Drain well, then spread evenly over the bottom of the cake pan. Set aside.

3. Warm milk in saucepan till small bubbles appear along edge of pot.

Meanwhile, beat eggs and sugar together with electric mixer till thick and pale yellow (about 5 minutes). Add rum and zests and mix well.

4. While constantly stirring, slowly pour 1/2 C of the warm milk into the egg mix.

Stir in remaining milk, then pour entire mix into saucepan. Over low heat, stir constantly till custard forms thick enough to coat a spoon (about ten minutes). Do not allow to boil.

5. Remove from heat, pour over rice in cakepan.

6. Bake 45 minutes to an hour, till toothpick will come out clean. Put pan on wire rack to cool for half an hour, then invert onto plate to remove. Allow to cool to room temp.

7. Serve with compote, cut into slices.

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Probably good quality jarred cherries would work in a pinch if fresh are not to be found.

Keywords: Dessert, Italian, Intermediate, Rice, Tart

( RG1609 )