Rizogalo (rice pudding)

A Sweet-dish recipe, by Gina Lioti.

6 servings

45 mins cooking

“Rizogalo (its direct translation is rice-milk) is a warm childhood memory of mine. I grew up in a small town, at a time when we had a neighbourhood cow and the milk tasted so very differently, it’s almost as if it was something else entirely.”

Gina Lioti

Here’s why you’re going to love this

A neighbour of mine was a lady that usually had no patience for other peoples’ kids, except for when her grandchildren visited from abroad. At those rare occasions (less than once per year), she made rice pudding for the family and as a friend of the kids I was allowed to have one. I was looking forward to their visit, so I could have a bowl of her glorious rizogalo.

It was the best pudding I had ever had and have never tasted anything similar since then. It is entirely possible that she did not use any sugar at all, as the cow’s milk was so naturally sweet by itself that the sugar would ruin its taste. The whole neighbourhood smelled wonderfully of milk and cinnamon.

I have tried a few times to make it as she did, but I am missing the most important ingredient: the milk. Thus, I have to use sugar, but it just is not quite right. Still, of all the recipes I have researched and tried, this is the one closest to the original. To make it divine and as close to the original, make it with Jersey or Guernsey milk.

Ingredients

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To serve ingredients:

cinnamon powder

Instructions

Pour the milk into a pan and add the cinnamon stick. Place the pan on the hob and cook on high.
When the milk is about to boil add the rice, stirring constantly.
Once it starts to boil, turn the heat down to medium-high, add the salt and stir, until the rice is soft.
Add the sugar and continue stirring, until it has melted completely.
Take the pot off your hob and cover it with its lid and let it stand for about 4 minutes, until it sets.
With a ladle, pour the mixture into small bowls. You want each of them to be one serving.
Sprinkle with cinnamon to serve.

Final notes

You can enjoy them warm, or you can cover them with cling film and place them in the fridge, if you prefer them cold. They will be good for a couple of days, but I doubt they will last that much.