Alice’s Rice Pie
Serves 8
Ingredients
Ragu filling:
2.5 pounds ground hamburger
1 onion, chopped finely
1 clove garlic
8 ounce jar of tomato puree
16 ounce package of frozen peas
1 bay leaf
Rice:
4 cups Carnaroli rice (can be substituted with Arborio rice)
14 cups water
6 eggs
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
¾ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease a 10 x 15 inch pan with butter.
Boil rice in salted water until all water is absorbed. Add 2-3 tablespoons of the tomato sauce near the end to add color.
Take the rice off the heat and mix to cool down. Once cooler, first add butter and then add eggs one at a time stirring briskly so you don’t end up with scrambled eggs but a creamy mixture. Also stir in the 1-cup of plain breadcrumbs and the Parmesan cheese.
Brown hamburger, onion, and garlic well, then add in the tomato sauce. Let simmer 20-30 minutes. Add in peas with 10 minutes to go.
Lightly brown seasoned breadcrumbs in a frying pan and sprinkle half on the bottom of the baking pan.
Pour half of the rice mixture into the pan, then the ragu mixture, then the other half of the rice. Top with the rest of the breadcrumbs and dabs of butter.
Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake another 10-15 minutes until golden brown.