Rice, Fennel and Ricotta

Riso Finocchio e Ricotta

Creamy rice with ricotta and wild fennel, cooked in aromatic herb water and served hot.

4 servings

Easy

Sicily

EasySicily

Fennel and ricotta rice is a simple and substantial preparation, suitable for a lunch or dinner where you want to bring a tasty dish to the table. first course warm, soft and with a clear aromatic profile. The ricotta envelops the grains with a delicate creaminess, while the wild fennel It introduces a fragrant, herbaceous note without overpowering the grain's flavor. Cooking the rice in the water used to boil the fennel is the technical detail that ties all the elements together: the liquid transfers part of the herb's aroma to the rice and makes the result more coherent. The ideal consistency is soft and well-blended, with the grains cooked but not mushy and the fennel still recognizable. This dish is part of traditional Sicilian cuisine.

Instructions

Voice reading

6 steps · natural Italian voice

Clean the fennel

Trim and clean the two bunches of wild fennel, removing any unusable parts. Wash it thoroughly under running water to remove any residue, then break it into even pieces: this will ensure even cooking and the fennel will better blend with the rice.

Boil the fennel

Bring to a boil plenty of salted water and immerse the wild fennel Chop the rice into pieces. Boil it until it's tender and easily cut, without completely breaking it apart. The liquid should remain fragrant and hot enough for the next step of cooking the rice.

Drain and preserve

Drain the fennel when it's soft but still recognizable. Set it aside and save all the cooking water: don't discard it, as it will be used to cook the rice and will impart its aroma to the dish.

Cook the rice

Bring the fennel cooking water back to a boil, making sure it's still adequately salted. Add the rice and cook it according to the cooking time indicated for the variety you're using. Maintain a steady boil and drain when the grains are cooked and firm, but not mushy.

Mix the ingredients

Transfer the drained rice to a suitable bowl and combine with the ricotta and cooked fennel. Mix thoroughly until the ricotta and herbs are evenly distributed, resulting in a smooth, creamy mixture, with the fennel clearly visible. into the mixture.

Serve hot

Serve the fennel and ricotta rice immediately, while the rice is still hot and the ricotta maintains a soft consistency. Check that the mixture is well mixed and that the fennel is evenly distributed in each portion.

Chef's Tips

The editors recommend saving all the fennel cooking water and using it for the rice, so the grain absorbs more of the aroma and the result maintains a consistent flavor.