My Grandmother’s Baked Rice Pudding
This week legendary cookbook author, Marcella Hazan passed away at the age of 89. I love Italian food and I love to cook, so I love Marcella and her beautiful recipes. I love read cookbooks like others love read novels and Marcella’s books have brought me so much comfort and Joy. Marcella is known for being a cook and not a chef; actually Marcella preferred to be called a cook. I loved that about her.
Marcella once beautifully said : The explanation is that I consider cooking to be an act of of love. I do enjoy the craft of cooking, of course, otherwise I would not have done so much of it, but that is a small part of the pleasure it brings me. What I love is to cook for someone. To put a freshly made meal on the table, even if it is something very plain and simple as long as it tastes good and is not a ready-to-eat something bought at the store, is a sincere expression of affection, it is an act of binding intimacy directed at whoever has a welcome place in your heart. And while other passions in your life may at some point begin to bank their fires, the shared happiness of good homemade food can last as long as we do.
I also see myself as a cook, and I remember my grandmother as being a wonderful home-cook (not a chef). I have vivid memories of sitting in her kitchen and watching her cook. I do hope that children today have the chance to sit in their kitchens with their families and have the experience of preparing a meal. The smells and the tastes of these foods still remind me of my beloved grandmother.
Baked rice pudding was always one of my favorite recipes that my grandmother would make. I loved it! When I heard of Marcella’s passing I decided to cook something that brought me comfort. Instead of cooking one of Marcella’s recipes though, I was compelled to make a recipe that was given to me by my grandmother. This recipe includes some of my favorite healthy ingredients: milk, sugar, eggs, salt (all anti-stress ingredients). I normally don’t recommend eating much rice, but I made the exception this week. I imagine that a few tablespoons won’t hurt once in a while. Also, I include this recipe just as my grandmother wrote it. I didn’t change a word. I am really not sure why the dish need to be “rinsed with cold water,” but I follow the recipe as it was given to me and I include all the directions (written with love) here for you. You can never go wrong with a great, baked rice pudding.
So to all you cooks at home! Keep cooking! Cook with love and from your heart. Share your happiness. Keep creating and keep making traditional foods that your grandparents used to eat. Enjoy! Eat with Joy! Cook! Love!
My Grandmother’s Baked Rice Pudding :
Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup long grained rice ( sometimes I use Jasmine rice which is also good)
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
Directions:
Rinse a saucepan with cold water; drain, don’t dry.
Pour into a saucepan 2 cups of milk; add salt and bring to a boil. Add rice, stirring constantly cover and let simmer over low heat until rice is tender and milk is absorbed- it takes about 45 minutes. Watch it!
When rice is soft and milk is absorbed, remove from stove and let it cool to lukewarm. Beat together eggs and sugar. Add this to rice with remaining 1 1/2 cup of cold milk, vanilla, and raisins. Wet a 1 quart casserole with cold water. Spoon pudding into casserole. Bake in 400 degree F oven until it is light brown.
Test after 20 minutes. Don’t let it get too dry. It should be creamy.
Cooking is an art, but you eat it too.-Marcella Hazan