Cheesy Baked Rice with Peas and Speck
- Difficulty: Easy
- Prep time: 30 min
- Cook time: 40 min
- Serving: 6
- Cost: Average
PRESENTATION
Baked rice with cheese is like comfort food magic, especially up in Northern Italy, you know? Particularly in the Trentino-Alto Adige region, where they adore dishes that are both crispy and tender. This thing is all about taking simple ingredients and turning them into something so, so satisfying. And look, the melty cheese, sweet peas, and that smoky flavor from speck—a local smoked ham—just make it all pop.
Baked rice with speck has this savory kick that really sets it apart from your usual ham or bacon. You get this golden, crunchy crust from the cheese and breadcrumbs on top, and it’s pretty addictive. So here’s the thing: for family gatherings or Sunday meals, nothing screams Italian home cooking more. Everyone's after those crispy corners, fresh from the oven.
And look, you often see tweaks like saffron for a splash of color or swapping in brie or a four-cheese blend to up the gooey factor. Folks in Trentino-Alto Adige? Yeah, they love using what they’ve got, so each baked rice and peas dish comes with its own twist. Thing is, you start with rice cooked al dente—it’s crucial—so it soaks up the sauce without turning to mush. And listen, that moist and melty middle? That's from layering cheese and peas with the rice, while the speck weaves in that slightly smoky touch.
Whether it’s a chill dinner or a bigger bash, this baked rice with cheese has everyone coming back for seconds. No question. It’s hearty enough on its own, but hey, pair it with a simple salad and keep it light. Either way, it’s all about sharing good times and good food, you know? And honestly, it captures the heart of Northern Italian cuisine—blending traditional flavors with this cozy, inviting feel. Really, it makes everyone feel right at home. For real.
This dish? Seriously, can't go wrong.
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- INGREDIENTS
- Carnaroli rice 2 cups (400 g)
- Peas 1.4 cups (220 g)
- Speck 7 oz (200 g)
- Smoked scamorza cheese 9 oz (250 g)
- Grana Padano PDO cheese 3.5 oz (100 g)
- Vegetable broth 4 ¼ cups (1 l)
- Breadcrumbs ½ cup (50 g)
- Extra virgin olive oil to taste
- Fine salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
How to prepare Cheesy Baked Rice with Peas and Speck
To prepare the cheesy baked rice with peas and speck, first make the Vegetable broth and keep it warm. Then move on to the speck: cut it first into sticks 1 and then into cubes about 3/8 in (1 cm) 2. Do the same with the scamorza cheese 3 and set both aside.
Pour the rice into a hot saucepan 4 and toast it dry, adding a pinch of salt 5. Then begin to moisten it with the hot broth, one ladleful at a time 6.
Stir occasionally and cook for 15 minutes 7. The rice should be nicely al dente. After this time add the peas 8 and the speck cubes 9.
Now add the grated Grana Padano, keeping a little aside for the final crust 10. Also add the scamorza cheese 11, a pinch of black pepper and mix well 12.
Grease the baking dish and sprinkle with breadcrumbs, reserving a couple of tablespoons for the crust 13, and make sure they adhere well over the entire surface 14. Finally transfer the rice 15.
Level carefully 16 and sprinkle with the remaining breadcrumbs 17 and the remaining grated cheese 18.
Ready for the oven 19: bake in a conventional oven (static) at 392F for 20 minutes, then switch to the grill (broiler) setting at 464F for about 5 minutes. Remove from the oven 20 and let rest for 5 minutes. Your cheesy baked rice with peas and speck is ready to be enjoyed 21.