Periyalis Greek Rice Pudding Recipes

GREEK RICE PUDDING (RIZOGALO)

Steps:

• Place milk, sugar and lemon peel (just the peel - none of the pith) in a heavy saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly until sugar melts. Reduce heat to low and add the rice.
• Cover the pan and cook until the rice/milk mixture has gone thick and creamy (about 30-35 minutes).
• Turn off heat. Remove lemon peel and discard.
• Whisk together egg yolks with corn flour.
• Quickly whisk egg yolks into the rice mixture, stirring well. (If you want to, at this point you can also add a 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract). Keep stirring to make sure yolks are incorporated and won't curdle.
• Spoon pudding into four serving dishes and cool. Top with a sprinkling of cinnamon.

RIZOGALO (GREEK RICE PUDDING)

Steps:

• Bring water and rice to a boil in a saucepan. Immediately reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered very slowly, stirring occasionally, until most of the water has been absorbed and rice is soft, about 30 minutes.
• Pour 2 cups milk and sugar into the saucepan and increase heat to high.
• Meanwhile, stir together 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch in a bowl.
• Once rice-milk mixture is boiling, add cornstarch mixture and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined. Remove from heat.
• Ladle rice pudding into individual serving dishes and sprinkle with cinnamon. Allow to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 4 hours.

RYZOGALO OR GREEK RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine rice & water. Bring to boil, then turn heat down to low & cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently with wooden spoon.
• Warm milk & stir into rice along with half the sugar [NOTE: If your preference is for a less-sweet pudding, consider reducing the 3/4 cup to 2/3 cup, then use HALF OF THAT at this time]. Cover & continue to cook over very low heat for 20 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed, stirring occasionally.
• Dissolve cornstarch in as little cold water as possible (about 2 tablespoons, but make sure it is FULLY dissolved) & add to rice.
• Continue to stir briskly, simmering for a full 5 minutes, then remove from heat, & set aside, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks with the last half of the sugar, then add to rice mixture, stirring with wooden spoon until very well blended (to thicken & to prevent yolks from cooking separately).
• Set aside to cool in the saucepan or in individual serving dishes.
• Serve at room temperature, sprinkled with cinnamon.

PERIYALI'S GREEK RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• In a heavy 4-quart saucepan, combine the milk, lemon peel and rice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the rice is soft to the bite but still retains its shape, about 45 minutes. Remove rice from heat.
• In a small bowl, stir together the egg yolk and sugar. Rapidly stir a spoonful of the rice mixture into the yolk mixture. Stir the yolk mixture into the pan of rice, mixing steadily to prevent the yolk from curdling. Reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
• Add the cream, and cook, stirring, until the mixture is steaming. Remove from heat, and discard lemon peel. Stir in vanilla. Continue to stir until the mixture has cooled slightly; then press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the rice to prevent a skin from forming. Serve warm or at room temperature, spooned into bowls and sprinkled with cinnamon.

WORLD'S BEST RICE PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Heat the butter in a 4 quart saucepan. When frothy, add the rice and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk, pinch of salt, sugar, vanilla and 1/2 of the cranberries and bring to under a boil. Transfer to a 9-inch square baking pan and set in the oven. Bake uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 15 minutes, then bake undisturbed for another 30 minutes. Then stir in the remaining 1/2 of the cranberries and bake for another 30 minutes (for a total of 2 1/2 hours).
• Variations: you can to add heavy cream in the last 30 minutes of baking. Or if you want a crusty topping, reduce sugar to 1/4 cup. Once out of oven, crumble brown sugar and butter over the rice pudding and place under the broiler until melted and bubbly.