Riso Sartù

Preparation

1. Getting Ready

   Step 1

   Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450°. Butter the insides and top rims of all six cups or molds generously, using a teaspoon or more of soft butter for each. Sprinkle a teaspoon or more of grated cheese (or bread crumbs, if you prefer) inside each cup, and rotate and tilt it so the buttered surfaces are completely coated. Invert the mold and shake out loose cheese or crumbs (if cheese, be sure to collect and use it in the next steps).

   Step 2

   To refresh your sauce, stir 2 or 3 tablespoons water into the Ragù alla Bolognese (or more water if the ragù is very thick) and heat to a simmer in a small saucepan. Stir in the frozen peas, simmer them in the sauce for a few minutes, until tender, then take the pan off the heat. You should have 2 cups of sauce, or a bit more.

   Step 3

   Measure the risotto into a skillet, set it over low heat, and—assuming it is chilled and congealed from refrigeration—break up the lumps of rice with a spoon. Warm it up gently, and keep pressing and stirring until the rice loosens (don’t cook or fry it), then stir in 1 cup of the warm Bolognese-and-green-pea sauce until thoroughly distributed. Take the skillet off the heat, and stir in 2/3 cup of grated cheese. The rice mixture should be warm, not hot: let it cool if necessary.

2. Filling the Cups

   Step 4

   Fill each cup, one at a time, as follows: Measure a scant 1/2 cup of the rice and plop it into the cup. Press the rice level with a teaspoon or your fingers, then press in the center to form a hollow and move some of the rice up the unfilled sides to the rim, like walls around a crater.

   Step 5

   To fill the crater, take two pieces of hard-boiled egg, a teaspoon of mozzarella cubes, and a teaspoon of prosciutto strips. Drop the pieces into the hollow, mixing them up a bit, press down gently, then top off the hollow with a teaspoon or so of the reserved Bolognese; level it with a spoon.

   Step 6

   The cup should be just about filled to the top. Cap it with 1 1/2 tablespoons of risotto mixture: press it down firmly and spread it smoothly and evenly within the rim of the cup. Finally, sprinkle 1 1/2 teaspoons of grated cheese lightly over the top—don’t press down the cheese.

   Step 7

   Fill each cup in this way. (You can refrigerate them at this point if you want; allow extra baking time for chilled cups.)

3. Baking, Unmolding, and Serving

   Step 8

   For easy handling, set the cups on a baking sheet or in a shallow baking pan—spaced well apart for fast, even heating—and place it in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then rotate the sheet back to front. The top of each cup should be nicely colored but moist; juices from the insides should be hot enough to drip over the sides. Bake 20 minutes more, until the tops are dark gold and well crusted.

   Step 9

   Remove the sheet from the oven and let the cups sit and cool for at least 5 minutes, and up to 10, before unmolding. Meanwhile, gently heat the remaining Ragù alla Bolognese; you should have almost a cup left in the saucepan—thin it with a bit of water if it’s thickened up while sitting. Warm up six small (dessert-size) plates, which you will need for unmolding and serving.

   Step 10

   Protecting your hands with pot holders or dry kitchen towels, set one hot cup on a clear counter. Insert a thin sharp knife blade into the cup, flat against the side, and run it all around, cutting through the crust on the rim and loosening the rice inside too. Lay one of the warm plates on top of the cup, and grip them firmly together—make sure your pot holders or towels won’t slip when you move your hands. Quickly invert the cup and plate and, before setting the plate on the counter, give the pair a sharp shake to loosen the rice cake.

   Step 11

   Center the upside-down cup in the plate and lift it up. What you hope is that it will come off the rice cake easily and completely. If some of the rice is stuck in the cup, just scrape it free and patch it in place. If the cup doesn’t lift off the rice, give it a few good raps on the side and top with a heavy knife handle. You might have to invert the cup again and make sure you’ve cut through the crust completely. But you will succeed in unmolding each cup!

   Step 12

   When they are all unmolded, spoon about 2 tablespoons of hot Ragù alla Bolognese on top of each rice cake and let it drip down the sides. Serve right away.

   Step 13

   For a larger dinner party, this is a great way to serve facsimile risotto. Make the risotto and assemble the day before, then set in the oven to bake while your guests are arriving. Make sure to allow 20 minutes more of baking time if it is cold from the refrigerator.

4. Using Leftover Risotto

   Step 14

   Riso al salto, rice with a jump, is the traditional way of reusing risotto in Italy, and a delicious one. The secret with leftovers is always to create a new dish, not a reheated one.

5. Step 15

   To make rice with a jump you will need 2 cups of leftover risotto and 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana Padano, one beaten egg seasoned, and 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley or chives. Loosen the risotto with a fork, add the other ingredients, mix all well, and form hamburgerlike patties. Press them down slightly, and cook them in a hot non-stick skillet with butter till crispy on each side. Press them down with a spatula occasionally—but gently, because they are fragile—until they form a crust, which is the best part. They are great for breakfast in the morning with eggs, or as a side for braised meats; or eat them just as they are.

6. Step 16

   Leftover risotto makes also a good fried-rice facsimile. Sauté in some olive oil some leftover vegetables or meat cut in small pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper. In the meantime, break the risotto up with a fork, and add it to the skillet. Cook for a few minutes, stirring, then add chopped scallions, chives, or parsley, and drizzle on some balsamic vinegar—for 3 cups of fried rice, you’ll need 3 teaspoons of aceto balsamico. Let the rice cook for 2 or 3 minutes, tossing, then serve.