Periyali's Greek Rice Pudding

Name: Periyali's Greek Rice Pudding
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 6 to 8 servings
Cuisine: greek
Ingredients: 4 cups whole milk; 1 2-inch piece lemon peel; 1/3 cup Carolina long-grain rice; 1 egg yolk; 1/4 cup sugar; 1/3 cup heavy cream; 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract; Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling

By Amanda Hesser

Total Time: 1 hour
Rating: 4(34)
Comments: Read comments

This dish is called rizogalo, or Greek rice pudding. Though it is a simple dessert that is usually served cold, rizogalo is actually cooked the same way as risotto: the rice is simmered slowly and must be stirred constantly to massage the starch out of the grains and to attain a creamy, toothsome consistency.

And though New Yorkers don't carry on about it, it has been with them for many years, all over the city. It is a mainstay on sophisticated menus at Molyvos in midtown and Periyali in the Flatiron district, where it is mounded in a bowl and splashed with cinnamon.

Featured in: Little Lumps, Lots Of Comfort

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Ingredients

Yield:6 to 8 servings

4cups whole milk
12-inch piece lemon peel
⅓cup Carolina long-grain rice
1egg yolk
¼cup sugar
⅓cup heavy cream
½teaspoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, for sprinkling

Ingredient Substitution Guide

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Preparation

Step 1
In a heavy 4-quart saucepan, combine the milk, lemon peel and rice. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the rice is soft to the bite but still retains its shape, about 45 minutes. Remove rice from heat.
Step 2
In a small bowl, stir together the egg yolk and sugar. Rapidly stir a spoonful of the rice mixture into the yolk mixture. Stir the yolk mixture into the pan of rice, mixing steadily to prevent the yolk from curdling. Reduce the heat to low, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.
Step 3
Add the cream, and cook, stirring, until the mixture is steaming. Remove from heat, and discard lemon peel. Stir in vanilla. Continue to stir until the mixture has cooled slightly; then press a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the rice to prevent a skin from forming. Serve warm or at room temperature, spooned into bowls and sprinkled with cinnamon.

Ratings

4 out of 5

34 user ratings

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Comments

Oded Kishony7 years ago

I like to use evaporated milk instead of cream, less fat but just as thick and creamy. I make it in a double boiler.

Naomi3 years ago

This is incredibly easy and absolutely delicious. I followed the recipe exactly. This will be made repeatedly, one of my dad’s favorite Greek desserts (Rizogalo).

laura3 years ago

a dream that the restaurant shared this! It's excellent.

anyushka4 years ago

I've been making this rice pudding for years- I still have the recipe clipped out of the newspaper, from pre-internet days! In my 20s I would go to Periyali for special occasions and swoon over the rice pudding. What a thrill it was when I could make it at home! It looks humble, but it is transcendent.

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