Baked Rice with Apples and Cinnamon

Method, step by step

1. Prepare a baking dish about 20 × 28 cm and grease it with 5 g of butter. Preheat the oven to 180°C top and bottom. Rinse the short-grain rice briefly in a sieve, unless the manufacturer explicitly recommends another method for that variety. Peel the apples, remove the cores, and weigh 1 kg of edible flesh.

2. In a heavy-bottomed pot, bring 750 ml of milk to a boil with 150 ml of water, a pinch of salt, 15 g of sugar, and 10 g of butter. Add the rice, reduce the heat, and cook very gently for about 20–25 minutes, stirring often at the bottom, until soft and creamy. If necessary, add a little milk gradually. Do not leave the pot unattended: milk easily boils over and burns.

   

3. At the end of cooking, add vanilla if using. Check a few grains: they should not have a hard, chalky center. The mixture should be thick but moist, spreadable with a spoon. Remove the pot from the heat and keep it covered briefly while finishing the apples; do not cool the rice in advance for this version.

4. While the rice is cooking, grate the apples on a large grater. In a wide pan, melt 15 g of butter, add the apples, cinnamon, and optionally lemon juice. Sauté for 8–12 minutes over medium heat, stirring. When the excess juice evaporates, add up to 25 g of sugar after tasting the cooked fruit. The filling should remain juicy, without standing liquid.

   

5. Divide the cooked rice roughly in half. Spread the first half in the bottom of the prepared dish and smooth it with a wet spoon. Do not press down hard to avoid making a compact layer. If the rice has become too thick during a short wait, loosen it with a spoon or two of warm milk.

6. Spread the warm sautéed apples over the rice, leaving an even layer across the entire surface. Cover with the remaining rice and gently smooth it out. Distribute small flakes of the remaining 10 g of butter on top. The photo shows the moment of layering the top layer, with some apples still exposed.

   

7. Place the dish on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for about 25–30 minutes, until everything is well heated and the top is lightly golden. Check the center of the casserole for at least 74°C. If the top is browning before the center is heated, loosely cover it with foil and continue baking. Do not rely solely on the surface color.

8. Remove the dish and wait about 10 minutes. Serve with a spatula or large spoon, keeping the layers intact as much as possible. Serve warm. Portions intended for later should be immediately transferred to small containers and begin the quick cooling described in the tips; do not leave the entire dish on the table for hours.