Rice and Pasta Pilaf

“Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco treat”! Remember that popular advertising jingle, or am I dating myself? In spite of my stomping around the house and singing at the top of my lungs, my mother refused to take the bait and stuck to her tried-and- true side dishes such as paprikás krumpli (a.k.a red potatoes) and mashed potatoes with fried onions. Did I lose you yet? Rice-A-Roni owes its existence to a fateful meeting in the 1940’s when a woman named Lois DeDomenico learned how to make a rice and noodle pilaf from her Armenian landlady. It soon became a favorite side dish at the DeDemonico family table and it would eventually inspire Lois’ husband Tom, who owned a pasta factory, to create a commercial version, known to one and all as Rice-A-Roni. Imagine my delight when Cook’s Illustrated magazine offered a recipe for a home-cooked version of this rice and pasta pilaf.

Rice and Pasta Pilaf

The recipe for this tasty pilaf uses basmati rice. Basmati rice is a variety of long-grained rice that has a distinctive nutty flavor and a unique, slightly floral aroma. Structurally, basmati rice has the longest grains of any rice, and it is known for lengthening during cooking. The key to making basmati rice that is light, tender and fluffy is to rinse it first, otherwise, the grains will be gummy and stick together. Rinsing the rice removes excess surface starch that would otherwise absorb water, swell and cause a gummy layer on the exterior of the rice. It only takes a minute or two. Simply place the rice in a bowl with water, and then swish it around to release any excess starch. Drain the rice in a fine mesh strainer and repeat this process another four times. The water will be cloudy at first but after several rinses, it will be clear or almost clear.

Toasting the rice in any type of fat gives it a slightly nutty flavor and causes the starch on the outside of each grain to gelatinize right away, so the rice pilaf will have a firmer texture and the individual grains of rice stay separate. Once the liquid is added, bringing the rice to a rapid boil continues to quickly cook the outer starch in the rice and concentrates the cooking liquid, so the pilaf is more intensely flavored. This is followed by a gentle simmer, during which the covered rice absorbs the remaining liquid and finishes cooking. 

One of the most overlooked steps in cooking rice is the resting period after the rice has completed cooking. Once the cooking water has been absorbed, remove the pot of rice from the heat, uncover it, and drape a dry, clean folded towel over the top of the pot. Place the lid back on and press to create a tight seal. The towel will absorb any excess moisture and prevent any condensation from dripping back onto the rice. Let it rest for about 10 minutes.

For this rice and pasta pilaf, recipe developer Andrew Janjigian suggests soaking the uncooked rice in hot tap water for 15 minutes before rinsing it, in order to ensure that the finished rice and pasta both have an ideal, tender texture. Don’t leave this step out.

Heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the pasta to the pot and toast until golden, stirring constantly.

Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is softened but not browned. Add the rice and cook stirring until the edges of the rice begin to turn translucent.

Add the broth and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until all the liquid is absorbed.

Off the heat, remove the lid of the pot, cover the pot with a towel, replace the lid and let stand for 10 minutes. 

Fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with parsley if desired.

Print Recipe

Rice and Pasta Pilaf

Grains and Pasta

By Cook's Illustrated, Andrew Jangigian, May/June 2014 – Serves: 6

Prep Time: 15 minutes – Cooking Time: 20 minutes – Total Time: 35 minutes

An easy rice pilaf, made with long-grained basmati rice and thin stands of pasta, toasted for a rich and nutty flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup vermicelli or other thin pasta (thin egg noodles also work) broken into 1 inch pieces
• 1 medium onion, grated
• 1 garlic clove, minced finely or grated
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 2 teaspoons consomme powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Instructions

1

Place rice in a medium bowl and cover with hot tap water. Let stand for 15 minutes Gently swish the grains to release excess starch. Carefully pour off the water and add cold water to the bowl. Hold a small strainer under the bowl and tip the contents of the bowl into the strainer. Return the rice to the bowl and continue to rinse the rice with cold water. Pour off the starchy water and rinse again, 4 to 5 times, until the water runs almost clear. Drain the rice into the strainer.

2

Heat a Dutch oven (that's just a fancy term for a big pot) over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the broken pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, until light golden brown. Be careful not to let the pasta burn. This can happen quickly.

3

Add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is soft but not browned. Add the rice and cook stirring from time to time until the edges of the grains of rice begin to turn translucent, about 3 minutes.

4

Combine the water and consomme powder and add to the rice. Add the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook until all the water is absorbed. Basmati rice cooks very quickly. This will take 10 minutes or less.

5

Remove the rice from the heat. Take the lid off the pot. Cover the top of the pot with a towel and replace the lid as snugly as possible. Let stand for 10 minutes.

6

Remove the pot lid. Fluff the rice with a fork. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Up to a 1/2 cup of chopped, toasted almonds or shelled pistachios and 1/2 cup of craisins or chopped dried apricots can be added to the cooked rice before serving, if desired.