Chestnut and Rice Pudding (Sicily)

Desserts

Ingredients

Dried chestnuts - 1 cup

Milk or water - 5 cups

Salt

Pudding rice - 1 1/2 cups

Sugar - 1/2 cup

Seedless white raisins - 1/2 cup

Butter - 4 tbsps

Soak the chestnuts overnight in warm water to soften them. Drain, put them in a pan, cover with the milk or water, add a pinch of salt and bring slowly to the boil. Lower the heat and cook gently for 1/2 hour. Add the rice and continue cooking for another 25 minutes, or until the rice is well cooked but each grain is still separate. It might be necessary to add a little milk or water to the rice - much depends on its quality or type. Just before the rice is ready, add the sugar and the white raisins. Melt the butter and stir this gently into the rice.

Turn the rice into a pudding bowl and let it cool before serving.

Serves 6