Torta di Riso alla Carrarina (Tuscan Rice and Custard Torta)
Torta di Riso alla Carrarina (Tuscan Rice and Custard Torta) is a traditional Italian recipe for a cake or dessert of rice pudding set with eggs and baked in a cake tin. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic South African version of: Tuscan Rice and Custard Torta (Torta di Riso alla Carrarina).
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OK, so this is more a dessert than a cake and the literal translation is Rice Cake in the style of Carrara. Carrara is in the northwesternmost corner of Tuscany. Carrara being the home of the famous pure white marble.
Like many Tuscan dishes this is derived from peasant food… rice pudding made with risotto rice topped with liqueur, citrus and vanilla custard baked in the form of a cake. The cool thing is that everything is cooked and baked together. But, during cooking the rice settles out giving you a two-layered final product.
The splash of liqueur that goes into the custard could (and ideally should) be whatever you have on hand. Italians will often pour in something that's regularly used for dessert-making, like rum, brandy, Alchermes (a bright pink, spiced Tuscan liqueur that is only used for preparing desserts, rather than for drinking), sambuca, Sassolino, or any other anise-scented liqueur. Anise is a much-loved fragrance in Tuscan desserts in general and sometimes you'll find a recipe for this torta that uses a hefty pinch of whole anise seeds, lightly bashed to release their aroma.
Note that the initial mixture (before baking) is quite liquid so you will need a solid (not springform or loose-bottomed) cake tin for baking. These days I use a silicone one set on a baking tray for easy handling (it’s much easier to get the final torta out of a silicone mould).
The original version of this recipe greases the cooking pan with butter and then dusts with flour. However, if you want this gluten-free dust with sugar rather than the flour.
Ingredients:
butter, for greasing the pan
flour for dusting (if making a gluten-free version use sugar)
250g (1 1/4 cups) of sugar
100g (1/2 cup) of short-grain risotto rice (such as Arborio or carnaroli)
2 pinches of salt, dived
6 large eggs
60ml (1/4 cup) of liqueur such as rum, brandy, or sambuca
Finely-grated zest of 1 lemon or orange
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or the seeds of half a vanilla pod)
500ml (2 cups) whole milk, warmed slightly
Method:
You will need a tall-sided cake tin of between 22.5 and 25cm (9-10 in) in diameter. This needs to be solid-bottomed (see notes above). Grease liberally with butter then dust with flour. If, however, you want this to be gluten free dust with sugar instead.
Bring a pan of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt, followed by the rice and continue cooking for 10 minutes. Drain the rice (by this time it should be al dente).
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, rum, zest, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until combined. Add the warmed milk and the rice. Pour the resultant mixture into your prepared pan. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C (350°F) and bake for between 50 and 60 minutes, or until the torta is solid and the top is golden brown with some darker splotches
(a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean).
Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin. Serve cold or at room temperature and store any leftovers in the refrigerator, covered with clingfilm (plastic wrap), for up to 3 days.
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