PERSIAN-STYLE RICE WITH CINNAMON AND PISTACHIOS

Ingredients:

4 quarts water

2 tablespoons kosher salt

2 cups basmati rice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

2 egg yolks

1 cinnamon stick

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup dry roasted, unsalted pistachios, chopped

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bring water to a boil.  Add the salt and rice and cook at a slow simmer for 10-12 minutes until the rice is just cooked through.  Drain and rinse the rice under warm water.

Lightly butter the bottom of a shallow baking pan.  Combine 1 cup cooked rice with the egg yolks, 1 tablespoon melted butter, and 1 tablespoon hot water. Spoon this mix over the bottom of the pan and press it flat into a layer.  Toss the remaining rice with salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle on remaining butter and cover the crust layer with this loose rice mixture.  Insert the cinnamon stick into the rice.  Cover and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the fluffy rice leaving only the pressed layer in the bottom.  Return the pan to the oven for another 5 minutes. Take out the cinnamon stick and season the loose rice with ground cinnamon.  Fold in the pistachios and keep the rice warm in a serving dish.

Remove the pan from the oven.  Let the pale brown crust cool for 5 minutes, then lift off and place pieces on top of the soft rice.  Serve immediately.

Yield: 4-6 servings as a side-dish