What can we make with rice besides risottos??? Obviously, the stuffed Rice Pie! Here’s a cute little recipe that won’t make you say “It’s always the same rice!!!” I almost forgot, the recipe is kindly provided by my mother!!!
This was the phrase I included as an introduction when I published this recipe in December 2014, and I’ve decided to keep it because those two were us!
In many of my memories of my mother, there’s a kitchen in the background, whether it’s hers, mine, or a restaurant where she worked, we loved cooking together even though we spent that time bickering, arguing, but also laughing.
I was undecided whether to change the photo for this recipe, it’s one of the last ones we prepared together at her house back in December 2014, and these rice pies were one of my favorite dishes!
In the end, however, I decided that rather than change the photo, this would be a tribute, a way to say thank you for the tips, tricks, and recipes she left me.
Cooking this dish again brought back so many memories, I could hear her voice while I prepared them “you need to press more, otherwise they won’t seal!” or “don’t open the oven or you’ll burn yourself”.
I’m more than sure that wherever she is, this morning she was yelling at me because something wasn’t as she said!
So let’s prepare this Stuffed Rice Pie with Tuna together to serve as a main course or perfect appetizer, I just ask you to think intensely about your loved ones while you’re at it!
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 10 Minutes
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
- Energy 269.03 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 44.11 (g) of which sugars 0.35 (g)
- Proteins 12.19 (g)
- Fat 4.30 (g) of which saturated 2.24 (g)of which unsaturated 1.53 (g)
- Fibers 1.10 (g)
- Sodium 216.81 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 50 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for 4 Rice Pies:
- 7 oz Carnaroli rice
- 2 cans tuna in water
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (in my case Rinci Taste Wonders)
- to taste salt
- to taste black pepper
- to taste breadcrumbs
- to taste butter
Tools
- 6 Molds in my case square
- 1 Pot
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Spoon
Preparation of the Rice Pie:
The first thing to do is to boil the rice in plenty of salted water. However, pay attention to the cooking time; in my case, the package indicated 18 minutes, and I let it cook for only 16 minutes. It should not overcook and should not reach full cooking. Meanwhile, turn on the oven in static mode at 356°F
Drain the tuna and mix it with the two tablespoons of mayonnaise in a bowl with the help of a spoon. In my case, I used a slightly special mayonnaise, the one with Rinci Paccasassi to give even more flavor to the tuna. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and let it rest in the refrigerator.
Drain the rice well and quickly rinse it under cold water. Now take the aluminum molds, in my case, I found very nice square ones, and butter them both on the bottom and sides. Sprinkle breadcrumbs both on the bottom and sides. Pour in half a tablespoon of rice and with your hands, press the rice against the edges and bottom, leaving a small central space where the teaspoon of tuna will go.
Once the tuna filling is placed, it can also be salmon or mixed fish, add another tablespoon of rice, we must reach a few millimeters from the edge of the mold. Apply a “nice pressure” as my mother used to say with your fingers. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on the surface.
Place all the molds on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes at 356°F and then for 5 minutes at 392°F. You will see that they will all become beautifully golden on the surface.
Let them cool for a few minutes before turning them over and serving.
Enjoy your meal!!!
Notes:
My mother served the Stuffed Rice Pie with a couple of tablespoons of fish sauce on the bottom of the plate, placing one or two pies per person in the center. I took the photos without the sauce because we’re eating them tonight for dinner, so I need to heat them a bit in the oven.
Variations:
As mentioned in the recipe text, there are many variations; you can make the Rice Pie with a filling of tuna, salmon, a mix of chopped white fish, or even with a well-cooked meat sauce or lightly pre-cooked ground meat in a pan with extra virgin olive oil.
Other recipes:
If you liked this rice recipe and, like me, love the combination with tuna, you can also try this specialty, always from my mother: Fried Rice and Tuna Meatballs
