Portuguese Rice Pudding

My grandmother never used a recipe when she made her rice pudding and I guess that my mom never made it because when we moved across country from my grandparents, we all longed for her rice pudding. My sisters and I tried lots of different recipes, but none were like we remembered eating from our Vo-Vo's kitchen.

That is, until I saw this recipe in California Farmer magazine, dated September 2, 1989. I copied the page and made some. We all agreed that this tasted just like we remembered and it's been a family favorite all these years.

Making this dish is similar to making risotto. First, 1 cup each of rice and water are brought to a boil. When the water has been absorbed, milk is added and the mixture is stirred until the milk has been absorbed by the rice. This is repeated two more times, then an egg and sugar are added. It takes a while to make, but the result is the creamiest rice pudding ever. 

If you've been looking for a rice pudding recipe and just haven't found the one that's perfect for you, I hope you'll give this a try!

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PORTUGUESE RICE PUDDING

1 cup uncooked rice

1 cup water

5-1/2 cups milk

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup sugar

Cinnamon

Put rice and water in large saucepan and boil until water is absorbed. Add 2 cups milk and bring to a boil. After mixture comes to a boil, stir constantly to prevent burning until all milk has been absorbed. Add another 2 cups milk and bring to a boil, then stir constantly until all milk has been absorbed. Add 1-1/2 cups milk and bring to a boil, then stir constantly until all milk has been absorbed. Beat egg in a small bowl. Add a few spoonfuls of the hot rice mixture and stir. Add egg to the saucepan and stir until well blended. Add sugar, stir and cook an additional 2 minutes. Pour into individual bowls or into a 1-quart serving bowl; sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg and let cool.