Single-portion rice sartù

Today I present you one of the most representative recipes of the gastronomic scene of Naples or the rice sartù. Rice sartù is a fairly elaborate recipe based on rice which is then seasoned with every good thing and served often on Sundays when the whole family gathers. The version I propose is the classic one of rice sartù, however, there are various versions such as the white one or with mushroom sauce. The story goes that in the houses of the Neapolitan nobles who resided in the center there was a sort of internal challenge between Neapolitan chefs and who worked in these residences, to present original dishes to the Lords and because the rice was much more loved by the French, the Neapolitan cooks mobilized to ennobling the rice to make it more pleasant to Neapolitan palates.

To begin with, they put in the pummarola sauce, the tomato, in those days, in Naples it was already a sort of passe partout, a viaticum. However, this could not be enough: even if red, the rice remained a "rinse" (i.e. to give to the sick:-)) So the Neapolitan cooks decided to enrich it with meatballs and peas. All these delicacies placed on top of the rice, as a garnish and the their masters, the Neapolitan nobles, acted as "guinea pigs" for this new dish. They showed that they liked the sartù very much! Since then, the sartù (from the French sour tout) became part of the kitchen of all Neapolitans from those

wealthier until it would reach the people! Well, after telling you the history and birth of this dish, it remains to recommend the tasting that will not disappoint you!

Ingredients

For the sauce

300 g of chopped veal

50 g of chopped raw prosciutto

tomato paste 1 onion

2 stalks of celery

2 carrots

1 dl of dry

white wine

4 tablespoons of oil

Meat broth to taste

Salt

Pepper

For the risotto

350 g of Arborio rice

rice 1/2 l. of broth

1 dl of dry white wine 

80 g of Parmesan cheese 

50 g of butter

pepper

To compose the sartù

2 hard-boiled eggs 

100 g of diced mozzarella 

100 g of peas

50 g of chopped cooked prosciutto

Butter

Breadcrumbs

80 g of grated parmesan cheese

Steps

Prepare the meat sauce: in an earthenware pan collect the chopped vegetables, the prosciutto, 4 tablespoons of oil and, over low heat, cook 3 minutes. Turn up the heat, add the minced meat and brown. Sprinkle the wine and let it evaporate. Add the concentrate of tomato diluted with a little water, cover and cook. Slowly with the broth, simmer for 1 hour. Prepare the risotto: in a saucepan melt half the butter, add the rice and wetting it with broth, cook it 10-12 minutes. Withdraw, let it cool. Add the butter and grated Parmesan cheese, pepper, three tablespoons of meat sauce and salt. Except for a small part that will be used to cover the sartù, arrange everything the risotto on the bottom and around the walls of the mold (diameter 24 cm or in 4 silicone molds), press with a spoon so that that adheres leaving a large void in the center. Fill the void with chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced mozzarella, peas blanched, chopped prosciutto then pepper, sprinkle the rest of the cheese, alternating it with spoonfuls of meat sauce. Cover with the risotto kept aside, sprinkle it with breadcrumbs and flakes of butter. Place the mold in a hot oven at 200 °C and bake for about 1 hour. Remove the sartù, turn it out after 15 minutes on a serving dish. Serve the rest of the sauce in a gravy boat after having

diluted with a little broth or pour over the sartù.