Cooking for two

Rice frittata customizable with add-ins

For The Washington Post/STACY ZARIN GOLDBERG Rice Frittata
For The Washington Post/STACY ZARIN GOLDBERG Rice Frittata

The frittata di riso may have been born of Italians' ability to repurpose leftovers in admirable ways, but in this recipe you'll cook arborio rice so the grains are plump and moist. As it happens, using fresh rice makes for a soft and tender omelet that has just a bit more body to it than if you used eggs alone.

You could toss in several add-ins, such as grated Parmigiano-Reggiano; chopped parsley or spinach; diced zucchini; bits of ham; even pine nuts. But we like the simplicity of this pantry-friendly dish, because it calls for so few ingredients and costs so little per serving.

Serve with a salad of bitter greens.

Rice Frittata

½ cup uncooked arborio rice

Kosher salt

4 eggs

1 medium shallot

2 tablespoons butter

Freshly ground black pepper

Paprika (sweet or hot)

Hot sauce or Sriracha, for serving, optional

Place the rice in a medium saucepan. Add a generous pinch of salt and enough water to cover by 2 or 3 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium; cook for 15 minutes or just until the rice is tender and plumped. Drain through a fine-mesh strainer, discarding the cooking water.

Meanwhile, use a fork to whisk the eggs in a liquid measuring cup. Mince the shallot.

Melt the butter in an 8-inch skillet over medium heat. Stir in the shallot and cook for about 2 minutes, until softened but not browned. Add the just-cooked rice, spreading it to cover the bottom of the pan. Pour the eggs evenly over the rice. Cook just until they begin to firm up around the edges. Season lightly with salt and a generous amount of pepper.

Cover and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the eggy surface has set. Watch closely so you don't overcook; the frittata should look light and fluffy.

Sprinkle lightly with the paprika. Cut into wide wedges and serve right away, with a drizzle of hot sauce or Sriracha, if desired.

Makes 2 generous servings.

Nutrition information: Each serving contains approximately 435 calories, 17 g protein, 23 g fat, 40 g carbohydrate (no sugar), 405 mg cholesterol, 393 mg sodium and no fiber.

Recipe adapted from the Independent.com

Food on 01/23/2019

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