Torta Di Riso (italian Rice Cake)

FOR THE FILLING
750 ml Milk
170 g Vialone Nano rice; (or
-arborio rice)
3 Eggs
100 g Sugar
50 g Chopped almonds
A lemon; zest of
1/4 ts Ground cinnamon
1/4 ts Ground nutmeg
80 g Melted butter
50 g Sugar; extra
1 Egg

Butter a 24cm. springform tin and line with baking paper over the base.

Place the milk and rice in a saucepan with a pinch of salt and simmer for
20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and milk has been absorbed. Set
aside.

Combine the plain flour, rice flour, pistachio kernels and brown sugar in a
mixing bowl then add the diced cold butter and rub through with your
fingertips until the mixture resembles course breadcrumbs. Add the egg and
mix well until the crumbs are moist and the mixture is able to be kneaded.
Turn out onto a floured board and knead briefly then roll the dough out to
a thickness of about 5mm. and line the prepared cake tin over the base and
up the sides, pressing gently to mend any cracks in the dough.
(Alternatively, pulse the dry ingredients in a food processor with the
butter then add the egg and process briefly, just until the dough is moist,
then follow the recipe as above).

Chill the pastry for 20 minutes while you prepare the filling.

To the warm rice mixture, add the eggs, sugar, almonds, lemon zest and
spices and mix thoroughly. Pour into the pastry case. In a separate bowl,
combine the remaining egg, sugar and melted butter then drizzle over the
rice mixture.

Bake the cake at 180c. for 1 hour or until cooked through. Allow to cool in
the tin then gently remove the sides of the cake tin. Serve with cream if
desired.