Carolina Gold Riso al Forno

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Carolina Gold Riso al Forno

Author: Marco Costiglio

A wonderful Gluten Free Alternative to Baked Lasagna and Baked Ziti

Ingredients

Sauce

• 2 Tablespoons (30ml) olive oil
• 1 Medium onion diced
• 5 Cloves garlic sliced
• 1/2 Teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes optional
• 2 Pounds (908g) ground chuck
• 3 Ounces (85g) tomato paste
• 2 28-ounce cans plum tomatoes hand crushed or blender pulsed
• salt and pepper to taste

Riso Al Forno

• 2 1/2 Cups (500g) Carolina Gold Rice (White or Brown)
• 2 Cups (340g) fresh or frozen peas thawed
• 2 Cups (226g) shredded Mozzarella
• 1/4 Packed cup basil leaves chopped
• 3/4 Cup (68g) grated Pecorino Romano

Instructions

1. Dice 1 medium onion and slice 5 cloves of garlic. Chop 1/4 cup of basil leaves (packed), and grate 3/4 cup of Pecorino Romano. Shred 2 cups of Scamorza cheese and set aside. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add 2 pounds of ground beef and cook for about 7-10 minutes, or until well-browned, then move to a plate leaving 3-4 tablespoons of fat in the pan.
2. Turn the heat down to medium and add the onion. Saute for 5-7 minutes or until soft.
3. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant about 2 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes and cook for another 30 seconds.
4. Return the meat to the pan, add 3 ounces of tomato paste, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
5. Add 2 28-ounce cans of tomatoes (hand-crushed or blender-pulsed) and stir together. Once the sauce starts to bubble, reduce the heat to a low simmer and cook for at least 20 minutes uncovered. Be sure to stir occasionally to avoid any sticking. And of course, taste test the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed.
6. While the sauce simmers, parboil 2 1/2 cups of Carolina Gold rice for approximately 8 minutes. Drain the rice and rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking process. Preheat the oven to 375f and set the rack to the middle level. In a large bowl combine the rice with 2 cups of peas and basil.
7. Move 3 cups of sauce to a bowl for later, and add the remaining sauce to the rice and pea mixture. Add half the Pecorino Romano and half the Mozzarella and stir together.
8. Coat a 9×13 (or close enough) baking dish with half of the reserved sauce and pour the rice mixture into the dish.
9. Top with the remaining sauce and cheese.
10. Bake the rice for 30-35 minutes or until tender. For extra color, turn on the broiler and cook for 1-2 minutes longer but watch carefully to prevent burning. Wait at least 10-15 minutes before eating to give the everything a chance to settle.

Notes

This makes an amazing 2nd day meal! There’s something magical that happens inside the fridge over night that just amplifies the flavors, so don’t be afraid to serve leftovers for up to 3 days

And get creative, there really is no way to mess this up so feel free to add whatever extras suit you, my father loved this with some anchovies in the sauce, and my mother was a big fan of adding zucchini. Get creative!