Rice Ring Filled

To prepare the filled rice ring, place two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil in a saucepan 1 and once hot, add the shelled peas 2, letting them cook for a few minutes. If you prefer, you can flavor the peas with a slice of bacon 3, or with a bay leaf.

Add a couple of ladles of vegetable broth (alternatively, you can use a light meat broth) 4 and continue cooking the peas, letting all the broth evaporate, for about ten minutes; if necessary, you can add another ladle of broth. The peas should become tender but still slightly crunchy. Salt and pepper to taste and season the peas with a pinch of nutmeg 5. Cover with a lid and set aside. Meanwhile, wash and trim the zucchinis (take two, each weighing about 7 oz) 6,

then use a mandoline to slice them thinly 7: you should obtain about 20 slices approximately 1/16 inch thick, 1.18-1.57 inches wide, and about 7 inches long. Heat a griddle on the stove, on which you will grill the zucchini slices on both sides (8-9). Once ready, place them on a plate and set them aside.

Move on to preparing the risotto: in a rather large saucepan, put 2 tablespoons of oil and the butter; when the butter has melted, add the chopped onion 10 and let it soften over very low heat for 15 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon 11. Once golden, add the rice 12

and stir, toasting it for a couple of minutes 13. Deglaze with the white wine, which should not be cold but at room temperature 14. When the wine has evaporated, add a couple of ladles of hot vegetable broth 15. Continue cooking the rice, adding broth each time the rice has absorbed the previous amount.

Halfway through cooking, dissolve the saffron in a ladle of broth 16 and add it to the rice 17, continuing to stir 18. Adjust salt if necessary, and complete the cooking: the rice should be al dente and dry.

Turn off the heat and add the grated Grana Padano PDO 19, stir well and let rest for a few minutes. Taste the rice and adjust salt and pepper if desired. Cut the provola into cubes about 3/4 inch 20; you can also use another cheese of your choice, as long as it is not too watery. In the case of mozzarella, let it drain well in a colander. Now butter a bundt pan with softened butter at room temperature and with the help of a brush, with a top diameter of 9 inches and a capacity of 7 cups 21.

Line the walls of the mold, alternating and overlapping to half width, a grilled zucchini slice and a bacon slice, making sure to leave the reddest part of the bacon facing outward (22-23), to create a decorative effect when the ring is unmolded. Continue in this way until you have used up the ingredients and completed the entire diameter of the pan 34.

It's time to assemble our ring: fill the mold with half of the rice 25, level the surface with the back of a spoon and press in the center of the rice to create a hollow; then raise the rice on the side walls 26 to better accommodate the filling. Place half of the peas in the center of the hollow obtained 27

until you cover the perimeter of the mold 28; add the provola cubes 29 and place the remaining peas on top of them 30.

Cover everything with the remaining rice, level the surface well with the back of a spoon 31 and sprinkle with a tablespoon of grated Grana Padano PDO 32. Bake in a preheated static oven at 356°F for about 40-50 minutes (if using a fan oven, 320°F for 30-40 minutes), then remove the rice ring from the oven. Let it cool slightly, then unmold it onto a serving plate 33: your stuffed rice ring is ready, isn't it beautiful? Serve by slicing the ring!