Baked Rice Casserole with Raisins and Vanilla

Step-by-step recipe

1. A tasty rice casserole starts, above all, with good-quality ingredients. Camolino rice is not hard to find in shops; it's great for porridge and you can even make pilaf with it. This rice is pre-treated with hot oil, so it soaks up aromas and flavours beautifully. Natural cream and sour milk are sold in any grocery store. So there's nothing difficult about making it.
   
2. Rice is usually cooked in a set ratio of water. Here, you can simply boil the rice until done in 1-1.5 l of water, then drain it in a colander so the water runs off and the rice cools a little. It's important that the grains are fully cooked and soft. They may stick together a bit, but that doesn't matter. Transfer the rice to a large bowl and add the vanilla, the raisins soaked in hot water and 1-2 tbsp of sugar – to taste.
   
3. Stir the rice so the sugar dissolves and the raisins are evenly distributed. In a bowl, combine the cream with one egg and whisk with a fork. Pour the egg and cream mixture into the prepared rice and mix thoroughly. You'll get a moist, slightly sticky mass. Choose a glass or ceramic baking dish with high sides. Grease the inside of the dish with butter. Spread all the rice mixture in the dish and level the surface.
   
4. To top the rice layer we use sour milk mixed with egg – this makes the rice casserole really delicious. If you like, you can replace the sour milk with cream or make a béchamel sauce with a little sugar. In a bowl, combine the sour milk with 1 tbsp of sugar, add the egg and whisk thoroughly with a fork. Use a spoon to spread the topping over the rice – don't leave any gaps.
   
5. Preheat the oven to 180-190 °C and put the casserole in. If the sides of the dish aren't high enough and the topping comes right up to the rim, it makes sense to set the dish on a tray or in a larger dish. The rice casserole is usually ready in 20-25 mins – go by how golden the top is.
   
6. Take the finished casserole out of the oven and, while it's still hot, cut it into portions with a sharp knife. Use a spatula to transfer the pieces to plates. For serving, I suggest a few soft raisins sprinkled over the top, plus apricot jam – our favourite way to serve it.
   
7. As extra ingredients you can use soft candied fruit, dried cherries or cranberries. It's tasty with lots of raisins – add more, and in different colours. If you have farm eggs, the rice may turn slightly orange – very pretty. Serve the casserole for breakfast with warm milk or a cappuccino.