The rules of the house 3 rice: The rice pilaf
oven base version

 For certain preparations that require a good amount of rice, this preparation (of Persian origin - pilau - but spread everywhere by the Turks with the name of pilâv) is in my opinion ideal.

Grip well with your oven and with the amount of liquid, the result will always be guaranteed.

Here I did not want to present the rich pilaf preparations, from the well-known one flavored with raisins, cinnamon and cloves to those cooked with various meats or vegetables,
but only the basic version, suitable for side dishes and a fundamental starting point for all pilaf preparations.

Pilaf is more and more often prepared on the stove with a procedure, after roasting, which recalls that of Chinese BaiFan.

Ingredients:

Preparation:

Measure the rice and wash it thoroughly until the water is clear:
this is an important operation because it eliminates all those small traces of starch that would cause the grains to stick together.

Slice the shallot (or if you prefer, an onion) and brown it in butter (v. Note) over very low heat until it is completely undone.

As soon as the shallot is ready, add the rice by raising the heat and toast it well, as in preparation of risotto.

If the butter is insufficient to prevent the rice from sticking, add a drizzle of oil or melted butter.

Add all the broth, boiling, stir for a moment and cover before putting in the oven.
To promote the seal of the pan, you can also add aluminum foil or parchment paper to improve the seal.

Some add, before the stock, an idea of ​​wine and let it evaporate before adding the stock.

Bake in preheated oven at 180 ° for 18 '.

At the end of cooking, quickly shell the rice with a fork. If it is slightly damp, let it rest, uncovered, in the off oven for a couple of minutes.

Now the rice will be perfect and ready to be used as a side dish, especially for dishes rich in seasoning.

ADVICES AND NOTES:

• Shallot: it has a more suitable flavor, in my opinion, for this basic preparation; it can be replaced by an onion for those who don't love it.
• Butter: traditionally this preparation requires butter: it is not compulsory and can be replaced with olive oil. The taste will be slightly different but good, in any case.
• Basmati rice: Long-grain rice is the most suitable, from the classic Basmati to the jasmine-scented variety. For the photos I used an excellent Carolina (long grain rice) of Italian production.
• Salt and pepper: if you are using a well-seasoned and tasty vegetable broth, it is not necessary to add more salt. Also because this basic preparation serves as an accompaniment to dishes already rich in tasty sauces.
• Warning: the rice used has required one and a half times its volume of broth; other rices may require more liquid. So, before preparing it for a dinner with friends, it is better to test both the cooking time of the rice and the amount of broth needed.
• It is very important that the pan for cooking in the oven is large enough: the layer of rice, broth and other condiments will be better if it is less and less thick than a couple of centimeters.

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