Rice and Potato Flans

Rice and potato flans are a delicious and comforting dish. The combination of rice and potatoes creates a soft and pleasant texture, which can be enriched with other ingredients to taste. Here is the recipe to prepare Italian-style rice and potato flans.

Ingredients

• 200 g rice
• 300 g potatoes
• 50 g grated parmesan
• 2 eggs
• 100 g mozzarella (or other cheese to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Nutmeg to taste
• Butter and breadcrumbs for the molds
• Aromatic herbs such as parsley or thyme for garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. Start by peeling the potatoes, cutting them into cubes and cooking them in lightly salted water until soft. Once cooked, mash them with a potato masher or fork to obtain a purée.
2. Meanwhile, cook the rice in plenty of salted water following the package instructions to obtain al dente rice.
3. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F).
4. In a large bowl, combine the potato purée with the cooked rice. Add the parmesan, eggs, salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg. Stir to combine the ingredients well.
5. Butter individual molds and sprinkle them with breadcrumbs.
6. Cut the cheese into cubes and gently fold them into the rice and potato mixture.
7. Divide the mixture among the prepared molds, filling them to the brim.
8. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the flans are golden on top.
9. Let the flans cool for a few minutes before unmolding, then place them on serving plates.
10. Garnish with fresh aromatic herbs if desired and serve.

Rice and potato flans can be customized to personal tastes: you can add diced cooked ham, vegetables such as spinach or mushrooms, or enrich the cheese mix to taste.

Trivia

The flan is a typical preparation of Italian cuisine that can be adapted to many ingredients. Its name comes from the word “sformare,” which means to remove from the mold, and refers to the action of extracting the dish from the mold in which it is baked.