Riso Nella Miglore Maniera

Rice Pudding with Almond Milk

Source: LVII ricette di un libro di cucina del buon secolo della lingua, 14^th century.

Original Recipe:

Riso nella miglore maniera

Se vuoli fare riso nella miglore maniera che fare si puote per XII persone, togli due libre di riso e due libre di mandorle, e meça libra diçucchero. E togli il riso bene mondo e bene lavato, e togli le mandorle bene monde e bene lavate e bene macinate e bene colate con istamigna. Togli il riso, e metti a fuoco in acqua chiara, e quando è levato buono bollore e bene schiumato, colane di fuori l’acqua incontanente, e mettivi suso quantitade di latte di mandorle; e fallo cuocere insulla brascia da la lunge, e mestalo spesso intorno che non si rompa. E quando s’asciuga, arrogivi suso del latte dell mandorle, e quando è presso che cotto, mettivi suso quantità di çucchero sopra le scodelle. Se vuoli fare per più persone o per meno, togli le cose a questa ragione.

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Translation: (from The Medieval Kitchen: Recipes from France and Italy)

The best rice

If you want to make rice in the best possible way, for twelve persons, take two libre of rice and two libre of almonds, and half a libra of sugar. Then take the rice, well cleaned and well washed, and take the almonds, well skinned and well washed and well ground and well sieved. Take the rice and put it on the fire in clean water, and when it has reached a full boil and has been well skimmed, drain it immediately and add a quantity of almond milk; and cook it at a distance from the fire, and stir around often in such a way as not to break [the grains]. And when it has become dry, again add a quantity of almond milk; and when it is nearly cooked, add a quantity of sugar. His dish should be with and very thick. And when it is cooked, put sugar over the bowls. If you want to make it for more persons, or for fewer, use the ingredients in these proportions.

My Interpretation:

Make almond milk with almonds and hot water (see recipe for Almond Milk). Place rice in pot of water and bring to a boil. Drain water and add almond milk until rice is cover. Stir constantly, add almond milk a half cup at a time until all milk is absorbed. If rice is not fully cooked after all almond milk is used, use additional water (or almond milk). When rice is fully cooked add sugar, mixing in thoroughly. Place in serving bowl and sprinkle with more sugar.

Works Referenced:

The Medieval Kitchen: Recipes from France and Italy; Odile Redon, Françoise Sabban, & Silvano Serventi, translated to the English by Edward Schneider; The University of Chicago Press, 1998