Italian Rice Pie
This creamy Italian dessert pairs sweet lemon rice with a buttery pastry crust. It’s a rich, elegant pie that’s traditionally served around Easter but is perfect year-round. If you’ve never tried an Italian rice pie, this is a great recipe to start with.
Servings: 8
Equipment
- Springform Pan 9-Inch Round
- Microplane or Citrus Zester
Ingredients
For the Crust
- 2 ½ Cups all-purpose flour 315g
- ¾ Cup unsalted butter 1 ½ Sticks or 170g, cold and cubed
- ¾ Cup granulated sugar 150g
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
- 2 egg yolks large
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 Tablespoons cold water
For the Filling
- 1 Cup arborio rice or any short grain rice
- 2 Cups whole milk 480ml
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
- ⅔ Cup granulated sugar 135g
- zest of 2 lemons
- juice of 1 lemon about 2 Tablespoons
- 3 eggs large
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ Cups heavy cream 360ml
- 1 Cup ricotta cheese 250g, well-drained
Optional
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
Make the Crust
- Add flour, sugar, and salt to a food processor. Pulse to combine.
- Scatter the cold butter over the flour and pulse until the texture is sandy.
- Add egg yolks, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of cold water.
- Pulse until the dough starts to clump together, adding more water a little at a time as needed.
- Turn the dough onto a floured surface, gather it into a ball and press it into a flat disk.
- Wrap this in plastic and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes
Make the Filling
- Combine the rice, milk, and salt in a saucepan.
- Simmer over low heat, stirring often, until the milk is absorbed and the rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Set it aside to cool slightly.
- Stir sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice into the warm rice until well combined, then allow the mixture to cool fully.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla, and heavy cream.
- Add ricotta cheese and mix until smooth.
- Fold the cooled rice mixture into the ricotta mixture until everything is evenly blended.
Assemble and Bake the Pie
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Roll the dough into a 12-inch round.
- Line the bottom and sides of a greased 9-inch springform pan with the rolled-out dough and trim the edges.
- Pour the filling into the prepared crust, smoothing the surface.
- Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until set and slightly golden on top. If the crust edges brown too quickly, cover them with foil.
- Cool the pie completely before removing the springform pan ring.
- Dust the top with powdered sugar (optional) before serving.
Notes
Chill the crust dough: This helps keep it flaky during baking.
Let the rice cool fully: Prevents curdling when mixed with eggs.
Use parchment paper: Makes removing the pie from the pan easier.
Don’t overbake: The filling should be set but still slightly soft in the center.
Dust before serving: A light powdered sugar dusting adds a classic finish.
Let the rice cool fully: Prevents curdling when mixed with eggs.
Use parchment paper: Makes removing the pie from the pan easier.
Don’t overbake: The filling should be set but still slightly soft in the center.
Dust before serving: A light powdered sugar dusting adds a classic finish.
Nutrition
Calories: 804kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 229mg | Sodium: 236mg | Potassium: 262mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 1579IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 196mg | Iron: 3mg
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