Cheesy Rice Cake Stuffed With Herbs And Greens Food

RICE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cook the rice until the 'al dente' stage as it will finish cooking in the oven. Allow to cool. Heat up 2 tablespoons olive oil in a saucepan. Add the pancetta, salami, and onions. Cook until golden and crispy.
• Cook the peas in a pot of salted water for approximately 2 minutes, or until soft. Add to the pan mixture and toss the ingredients together. Transfer the rice to a large bowl. Add an egg, Pecorino cheese, grated Parmigiano, diced Parmigiano, scamorza, salt, pepper, and the pancetta mixture with all its juices to the rice and thoroughly mix.
• Grease a baking dish with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle half the bread crumbs to the base of the pan. Spread the mixture onto the baking pan, packing the mixture so it serves as a solid bed. Sprinkle the remaining bread crumbs on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the rice cake is golden.

EIGHT-TREASURE GLUTINOUS RICE CAKE

Steps:

• Cut all dried fruit, except the raisins, into 1/3-inch dice. Place all fruit, including the raisins, in a large bowl. Reserve.
• Wash the glutinous rice 4 times in room-temperature water and drain well. Place in a cake pan. Add 2 1/2 cups cold water to the rice. Place the cake pan in a steamer, cover, and steam for 30 to 40 minutes, until the rice is cooked. It will acquire a glaze and be translucent. Turn off the heat. Scoop out the rice, add to the bowl of fruit, and mix well to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Coat a steamproof bowl, 1 1/2-quart size, with 1 1/2 teaspoons of peanut oil, making certain the bowl in well coated. Coat the hands as well, so the glutinous rice may be handled. Pick up half of the rice-fruit mixture, coat it with the remainder of the peanut oil, and pack it into the bowl, pressing it to the sides. Place the red bean paste in the center of the rice mixture and spread it a bit. Place the remainder of rice on top and press down gently.
• Place the bowl in a steamer, cover, and steam for 45 minutes. Turn off the heat. Remove the bowl and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Pass a blunt dinner knife around the edge of the rice to loosen it. Place a serving plate, inverted, on top of the bowl, and upend it. The cake should slip out easily. Its fruit-dotted texture will glisten.
• Use a large spoon to divide among individual bowls. Because of its texture, the steamed glutinous rice is virtually impossible to slice as one might a cake. Often a sugar syrup is poured over Eight-Treasure Glutinous Rice Cake when served. It is not at all necessary, because the various fruits, their sugars concentrated from drying, and the red bean paste are sufficiently sweet.

RICE CAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, gently mix everything except the butter. Over medium-high heat, heat the butter in a large frying pan until it is foaming. (A nonstick pan is good for this purpose but cast iron can work well, too.)
• Working in batches if necessary, and adding more butter as needed, use a large spoon or measuring cup to place a scoop of the rice mixture in the pan. Press down with the back of a spatula to form a patty. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden and crisp on the bottom. Gently flip patty and cook another 3 minutes or until golden. Keep warm on a paper-towel-covered plate or pan in a warm oven.