Italian Rice Cakes with Parma Ham, Basil and Mozzarella

Italian rice cakes with parma ham, basil & mozzarella

Italian Rice Cakes with Parma Ham, Basil and Mozzarella

01_level_ExLevel: moderate

02_cooking_ExCooking time: 30 minutes

03_prep_ExPreparation time: 15 minutes

04_serves_ExServes: 12

Specially created from Amira rice by highly acclaimed food writer and author, Genevieve Taylor.

What You Need

amira_recipes_red
  • 150g basmati rice
  • 2 balls mozzarella, diced in 1cm cubes
  • 60g proscuitto ham, chopped
  • ½ bunch spring onions, finely sliced
  • 50g sun dried tomatoes, finely chopped
  • a bunch of basil, chopped
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 25g parmesan, freshly grated
  • Salt & freshly ground black pepper

What to do

  1. Rinse the Amira rice under running cold water and add to a bowl. Cover well with cold water and set aside to soak for 30 minutes. Drain well. Heat a little oil in a saucepan with a tight fitting lid. Once it is hot, tip in the drained rice and stir fry for 30 seconds to coat each grain lightly in oil. Pour in boiling water from the kettle so that it comes just 1 centimeter above the level of the rice. Stir well and bring up to the boil. Cover with the lid and set the timer to boil for just one minute. Turn off the heat and, without removing the lid, reset the timer for 13 minutes. Remove the lid and fork through the rice grains which will have absorbed all the water and become light and fluffy. Spread out on a tray to cool.
  2. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a 12 hole muffin tin with olive oil. If your tin isn’t non stick you may want to cut circles of baking paper to line the base to help you ease them out of the tin.
  3. Once the rice is cool, add it to a mixing bowl, along with the mozzarella, proscuitto, spring onions, sun dried tomatoes and basil, stirring well to mix evenly. Pour in the egg, and season well with salt and pepper, mixing once again. Divide evenly into the muffin tins and sprinkle over the parmesan. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes until set and light golden brown. Allow to cool for a few moments before releasing from the tin with a blunt knife.
  4. Serve hot or warm with salad. Also great chilled in pack lunch boxes or summer picnics.