Baked rice with ham and mozzarella is a very tasty first course, born because I had to use up some leftover boiled rice and mozzarella. It’s an easy, versatile preparation, suitable for any occasion such as buffets, to take to work or picnics, because it has the great advantage of being cooked in advance without losing flavor. It’s a recipe to customize and enrich with everything we already have at home.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 1 Hour
- Portions: 3/4 people
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 4/5 oz Rice
- 3 1/2 oz Raw ham
- 9 oz Mozzarella
- 1 Egg (large)
- to taste Fine salt
- to taste Ground black pepper
- to taste Breadcrumbs (also gluten-free)
Preparation
I did not specify the type of rice to use because, in my case, it was a recipe to recycle already cooked rice. You can use rice for soups or risottos; however, I do not recommend using rice for salads.
Boil the rice in plenty of salted water. As soon as it is cooked, drain it well and put it in a large bowl to cool.
Meanwhile, cut the mozzarella into pieces and let the excess whey drain. When the rice is cold, add the whole egg, finely chopped raw (or cooked) ham, mozzarella and mix to combine the ingredients (adjust salt and pepper only if necessary).
Preheat the oven to 390°F. Grease a baking dish with a little oil and sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Add the mixture, level it without pressing it down, and finish with some more pieces of mozzarella to create a delicious crust. Finish with a light sprinkle of breadcrumbs and our first course is ready to go in the oven, on the lowest rack, to bake for about 15/20 minutes and the baked rice with ham and mozzarella is ready to enjoy. We can also freeze it whole or already divided into portions, as soon as it becomes very cold.
Extra Idea. We can also prepare our tasty rice in individual portions, suitable for lunch boxes, picnics, buffets, and homemade happy hours. Grease aluminum cups with oil, sprinkle them with a little breadcrumbs, fill them with rice, and bake them at middle height for about 12/15 minutes at 390°F.
