Time spent browsing the web has grown enormously and while wandering online I saw this recipe and made it at once. It’s called cold rice timbale with shrimp, or a chilled pie seasoned with pesto and garnished with cocktail sauce, but in the end call it what you want — the important thing is to make it.
It should be prepared in advance: the more it rests, the more it absorbs the flavors and the better it keeps its shape. Perfect for a summer lunch, for a buffet, or as a one-dish meal to bring to the table already ready.
The pesto used to dress the rice can be varied: with almonds, with sun-dried tomatoes, with classic Genoese pesto — but in the end it’s the classic that works. You can also add sliced cuttlefish or squid. The cocktail sauce is indispensable at least for my personal taste.
How to prepare and vary the timbale or cold rice pie?
Well, you can vary the pesto (with almonds, sun-dried tomatoes, Genoese pesto…) add other mollusks boiled and sliced like cuttlefish and squid but always with this stunning pink sauce… and also make it ahead of time — actually…
YOU MUST make it in advance so it will absorb the flavors wonderfully and… it will keep its shape much better!
Which rice is best for making the timbale or rice pie? Arborio or Carnaroli, and I invite you to read this article with recipes that talks about varieties and more.
Always thinking of summer, which will be different but will arrive as always, I suggest the classic rice salad.
SIMPLE AND TASTY RICE SALAD
I opened a recipes channel open to everyone and free on WhatsApp — no notifications and no sound — which you can join by clicking the link here https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaHbGIn9cDDig7Cw2x0F and every day you can read one sweet recipe and one savory recipe!
COLD RICE TIMBALE WITH SHRIMP
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Rest time: 1 Hour
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Cooking time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 6 people
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients RECIPE Cold rice timbale with shrimp
- 2 1/2 cups Rice (Arborio, Carnaroli…)
- 2 bunches Arugula (rocket)
- 2.2 lb Cleaned shrimp
- 1 tbsp Grana Padano PDO, grated
- 1 tbsp Pine nuts
- to taste Chives
- to taste Extra virgin olive oil
- to taste Salt
- to taste Ketchup
- to taste Mayonnaise
Tools RECIPE Cold rice timbale with shrimp
- High-sided pans
- Blender
Preparation RECIPE Cold rice timbale with shrimp
• Boil the rice in salted water, draining it al dente and following the cooking times indicated on the package.
• While the rice cooks, boil the shrimp for just the time needed for them to change color — otherwise they become rubbery!
Set the shellfish aside and move on to make the arugula pesto.
Cool the drained al dente rice with a little oil, stirring it several times in a bowl.
• Prepare the pesto by placing the washed and dried arugula in the blender together with the pine nuts (you can also use almonds), the grated cheese and extra virgin olive oil to emulsify everything.
Adjust seasoning with salt.
If you want to make it lighter, add some water and not only extra virgin olive oil!
Dress the now-warm rice with the freshly made pesto — it should be fluid but not too runny, otherwise it will struggle to hold its shape!
• Pour the cold rice dressed with arugula and pine nut pesto into your mold, pressing it down a little.
Cover with plastic wrap and put the mold with the rice timbale in the refrigerator.
• Prepare the mayonnaise (following the recipe above) and add a portion of ketchup — or open a jar of ready-made sauce — and dress the cooked and cooled shrimp.
Leave the dressed shellfish in the refrigerator until half an hour before serving.
• At serving time, remove the mold and unmold it onto the serving plate.
Arrange the shrimp dressed with the pink sauce on top.
Add a few stems of chopped chives and …
Enjoy your meal!
Annalisa
Recipe seen here
