When it comes to Italian holiday desserts, the pastiera di riso is one of the best. It is simple to make, simple to bake and beautifully creamy and flavorful.
This Italian rice pie combines thick, creamy ricotta with vanilla, cinnamon, lots of fresh citrus and rice. If you are confused seeing rice as a cake ingredient, you are not alone, but the rice baked into this cake gives it the most wonderful texture.
If you grew up in a home that celebrated Easter with a rice pie and want to make your own or you are just intrigued by possibly the most fabulous way to use leftover rice then you are going to love this one…
Let’s get started…
We need to start with the rice. If you have leftover rice, great, but if you are starting from the beginning, cook 1 cup of arborio rice in milk according to the directions on the packaging. This should give you 3 cups of cooked rice and that is exactly what we need!
Now that the rice is handled, combine 15 ounces of drained whole fat ricotta with 4 large eggs, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/3 cup of brown sugar and a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract in a large bowl.
Add the cooked rice along with a teaspoon of ground cinnamon, a tablespoon of fresh lemon zest and a tablespoon of fresh orange zest. I like to add the rice a little at a time to make the mixing easier. If you dump all of the cooked rice in at once, it can be difficult to break it up and fully incorporate it into the rest of the batter.
A springform pan is the best option for baking this cake due to the ease of removing the sides once it has been baked, but if you do not have a springform pan, any 9″ round cake pan will do.
Line the pan with parchment paper, spread about 1/4 cup of sliced almonds into the base of the pan, spread the batter evenly and then top with more sliced almonds.
Bake the rice pie in a 350 degree oven for 60-65 minutes or until it is lightly set.
Let the cake cool fully before transferring it out of the pan and slicing it up.
I like to dust the top of my pastiera di riso with confectioners sugar to give it a beautiful look and add just a bit more sweetness.
This cake is soft and creamy from the ricotta and the rice does a wonderful job of soaking up all of that cinnamon and citrus flavor. It is so perfect for Easter, but I don’t think anyone would raise a fuss if you baked it up any time of year. I know I wouldn’t…
Pastiera di Riso - Italian Rice Pie
Ingredients
- 3 cups of arborio rice, cooked in milk
- 15 ounces of whole milk ricotta, drained
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup of brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon of fresh orange zest
- 1/2 cup of sliced almonds
- confectioners sugar (garnish)
Instructions
- Cook a cup of arborio rice in milk according to the instructions on the package and set aside to cool (you can also use 3 cups of leftover rice here too)
- Preheat your oven to 350°
- Generously grease a 9” springform pan, line with parchment paper and set aside for now
- In a large bowl, whisk 4 large eggs with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, 1/3 cup of brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
- Add 15 ounces of drained ricotta, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of fresh orange zest and mix until fully combined
- Add 3 cups of cooked and cooled rice and mix until evenly distributed
- Sprinkle a thin layer of sliced almonds over the bottom of the prepared springform pan, spread the batter evenly and then top with remaining sliced almonds
- Bake in a 350° oven for 60-65 minutes or until lightly set
- Allow the cake to cool fully before transferring it out of the pan and slicing
- Garnish with a generous dusting of confectioners sugar before serving
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