SWISS EASTER RICE TART - TARTE AU RIZ

As the Easter holidays are approaching, I thought that you might like to see a seasonal recipe on my blog and discover an offbeat dish instead of coming across the same old ones year after year...

In Switzerland, when the Easter period is nearing, we get to see "Rice Tarts" or "Gâteau de Pâques" in every supermarkets as well as in certain bakeries. Yet, although it seems to be quite a big thing here, at home, it has never been a custom to eat that speciality during passover. That has maybe to do with the fact that I have not been brought up in any kind of religious environment...

Anyway, this year, I thought that I'd satisfy my curiosity and learn more about our Swiss culinary traditions, so I decided to bake one of these intriguing tarts that is so popular in my country.

After a great deal of surfing in search of the perfect recipe, I came to the conclusion that if I was going to make a "Swiss Easter Tart", I was not going to use a Swiss recipe for the simple reason that I could not get a grip on any (on the web or in my personal recipe collection). My only source was, once again, going to be American (you American guys have some of the best cookbooks and recipe sites ever) and thanks to the great Nick Malgieri, I was finely going to be able to try that speciality and stop fantasizing about it!

"Easter Rice Pies" are very well-spread throughout the Northern part of Italy where they are called "Torta Di Riso" and are traditionally served alongside "Ricotta Pie" for Easter Sunday dessert, but it is less known that Switzerland also has it's own version of this lemon-scented custard tart made with rice, almond meal, milk and eggs.

While Italians line their tart shells with a filling resembling "Rice Pudding" or sweet "Risotto", we puree the rice preparation in order to get a smooth filling. The Swiss tart is also much lighter (made with milk) than our neighbor's pies which generally contain ricotta and/or cream.

Nick Malgieri's "Swiss Easter Tart" is really comforting, yet not heavy at all nor too sweet. This delightful dessert has a delicate ricy, milky, somewhat eggy (in a good way) and lemony flavor. Since the rice used is parboiled long-grain rice and it is cooked in boiling water first, the texture of this tart isn't as smooth or creamy as risotto or custard, but it is similar to that of a slightly starchy flan or omelet and is pleasantly rubbery.

A wonderful non-fussy and unusual brunch dish/dessert item that'll conquer you with it's delicacy and subtle aromas!

My blog was chosen as one of the must-see sites on this week's baking blog on the Guardian website (a British newspaper). See article here.

~ Swiss Easter Rice Tart ~
Adapted by Rosa's Yummy Yums from a recipe by Nick Malgieri.

Makes a 25cm (10-inch) tart.

Ingredients for the "Pastry":
1 1/2 Cups plus All-purpose flour and more for dusting
1 Tbs Granulated sugar
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Baking powder
10 Tbs (150g/1 1/4 stick) Cold unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces
4-6 Tbs Cold water
Ingredients for the "Rice Filling":
1/2 Cup Long-grain rice (parboiled/see remarks)
3 Cups Milk
1 Tbs (30g) Unsalted butter
1/2 Cup Granulated sugar
1/4 Tsp Salt
The zest of 1 organic lemon
1/2 Cup Ground blanched almonds
1 Tbs All-purpose flour
3 Large eggs (~63g)
Confectioners sugar, for dusting

Method:
1. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the baking powder in food processor. Pulse to blend.
2. Add the butter and pulse 3 to 4 times, until butter is in pea-size pieces.
3. Sprinkle in 4-6 tablespoons cold water. Pulse 4 times.
4. Turn dough out on lightly floured work surface and knead gently a few times to form a ball of dough that you'll shape into a disk and wrap in plastic.
5. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Method for the "Filling":
6. Meanwhile, half fill a medium (3 quart/3 l) saucepan with water, bring to a boil, stir in rice, lower heat to medium and cook until rice is soft, about 15 minutes.
7. Drain rice and return it to saucepan. Add milk, remaining butter, 1/2 cup sugar and salt.
8. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture has thickened almost to a risotto consistency, about 25-35 minute.

9. Place saucepan in a large bowl of ice and water 10 minutes, to cool mixture to tepid.
10. Purée in food processor.
11. Pour the mixture into a bowl and add lemon zest.
12. Mix ground almonds with 1 tablespoon flour, add to bowl and whisk in.
13. Whisk in eggs one at a time
14. Place oven rack in lowest position and preheat oven to 180° C (350° F).
15. Remove pastry from refrigerator and place on lightly floured surface. Lightly dust top with flour. Use a rolling pin to press down on dough to soften it. Roll out disk to 28cm (12-inche) in diameter.
16. Transfer to a 22cm (10-inch) tart pan with a removable bottom. Press dough evenly into pan and prick the base of the dough. Trim edges flush with pan. Pour filling into pastry.
17. Bake about 35 minutes, until filling is set and golden.
18. Cool on a rack.

Remarks:
At point 3, dough will not come together, so don't panick. It's absolutely normal.
You can replace the ground almonds by ground hazelnuts which are a lot more traditional and, if you wish, you can use orange rind instead of lemon rind as well as add a little vanilla flavor to the filling.
Use Arborio or Vialone risotto rice instead of parboiled rice. In that way, your tart will end up being more creamy.

Serving suggestions:
Eat this tart with either whipped cream, sweetened mascarpone, lemon curd or hot fruit compote (red fruits).

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~ Tarte Au Riz De Pâques (Suisse) ~
Recette de Nick Malgieri adaptée par Rosa's Yummy Yums 2009.

Pour une tarte de 25cm de diamètre.

Ingrédients pour la "Pâte":
1 1/2 Tasses (192g) de Farine blanche/fleur
1 CS de Sucre cristallisé
1/2 CC de Sel
1 CC de Poudre à lever
150g de Beurre non-salé, froid et coupé en 10 morceaux
4-6 CS d'Eau froide
Ingrédients pour la "Garniture Au Riz":
1/2 Tasse (100g) de Riz long grain (parboiled/voir remarques)
3 Tasses (720ml) de Lait
30g de Beurre non-salé
1/4 de CC de Sel
Le zeste d'un citron bio
1/2 Tasse (50g) Amandes (blanchies) moulues
1 CS de Farine blanche/fleur
3 Gros oeufs (~63g)
Soucre en poudre, pour décorer

Méthode pour la "Pâte":
1. Dans le bol d'un mixer, mettre la farine, le sucre, le sel et la poudre à lever. Mixer pour mélanger.
2. Ajouter le beurre et mixer en pulsant 3 ou 4 fois, jusqu'à ce que chaque morceau de beurre ait la taille d'un petits pois.
3. Ajouter l'eau et mixer tout en pulsant 4 fois.
4. Mettre le mélange sur une surface farinée et "pétrir" légèrement afin de former une pâte, puis applatir en un disque.
5. Emballer dans du film plastique et mettre au frigo pendant au moins 1 heure.
Méthode pour la "Garniture Au Riz":
6. Pendant ce temps, remplir une casserole moyenne (3 l) avec de l'eau et porter à ébullition. Ajouter le riz et baisser la température. Cuire jusqu'à ce que le riz soit tendre, pendant 15 minutes.
7. Egoutter et remettre le riz dans la casserole. Ajouter le lait, le beurre, le sucre et le sel.
8. Porter à ébullition et baisser le feu, puis faire mijoter le mélange (à feu moyen) pendant 25-35 minute.

9. Plonger la casserole dans de l'eau glacée afin de refroidir le mélange.
10. Mettre le mélange dans un mixer et réduire en une fine purée.
11. Verser dans un bol moyen et ajouter le zeste.
12. Ajouter à la purée de riz et bien incorporer.
13. Ajouter les oeufs un par un. Battre l'apareil à l'aide d'un fouet afin qu'il soit homogène et lisse.
14. Placer une grille dans la partie inférieure du four et préchauffer à 180° C.
15. Sortir la pâte du frigo et la poser sur une surface farinée. Saupoudrer le dessus avec un peu de farine. Exercer une pression sur toute la pâte à l'aide d'un rouleau à pâtisserie afin qu'elle se ramolissent et qu'elle puisse être étalée. Rouler la pâte en un cercle de 28cm.
16. Foncer le moule et bien l'étaler. Couper les bords et piquer le fond avec une fourchette. Verser la garniture dans la pâte.
17. Cuire environ 35 minutes, jusqu'à ce que la garniture soit dorée et ferme.
18. Faire refroidir sur une grille.

Remarques:
Au point 3, ne paniquez pas si la pâte ne forme pas une boule. C'est tout à fait normal.
Pour la garniture, vous pouvez remplacer les amandes par des noisettes moulues (plus traditionnel) et, si vou voulez, vous pouvez utiliser le zeste d'une orange bio au lieu du zeste de citron et même ajouter 1 CC d'extrait de vanille.
Si vous voulez obtenir une garniture plus crémeuse, alors prenez un riz de type Arborio ou Vialone (pour risotto) au lieu du riz long grains.

Idées de présentation:
Servez cette tarte avec de la crème fouettée, du mascarpone sucré, du lemon curd ou avec une compote de fruits rouges tiède.