Baked Rice with Peas, Eggs and Smoked Scamorza

A generous Neapolitan-style baked rice — rice in tomato-pea sauce layered with hard-boiled eggs and smoked scamorza, crusted with Parmigiano and baked until golden and bubbling.

Amount	Ingredient
1⅓ lb (600 g)	rice
10½ oz (300 g)	frozen peas
6	eggs
4 cups (1 kg)	tomato passata
10½ oz (300 g)	smoked scamorza, cubed
3-4 tbsp	extra-virgin olive oil
2	onions
	Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
	salt, to taste

This is the baked rice of Sunday family lunches: a big, generous dish that feeds a crowd. The rice is cooked only halfway, then tossed with a slow tomato and pea sauce, layered in a baking dish with hard-boiled eggs and cubes of smoked scamorza, and crowned with plenty of Parmigiano. Thirty minutes in the oven transform it into a golden, bubbling, pull-apart masterpiece. Serve it steaming from the dish — it's comfort food at its most spectacular.

Ingredient notes: The rice is cooked only halfway — it finishes in the oven. Smoked scamorza is essential for its smoky flavor and spectacular melt; smoked mozzarella is a good substitute. Hard-boiled eggs are quartered or chopped into the layers. This makes 8 generous portions.

• Medium pot (for the eggs and rice)
• Large skillet or wok (for the sauce)
• Large baking dish
• Bowl of cold water (for the eggs)

1. Boil the eggs (11 min). Cook the eggs in boiling water for 10-11 minutes from the boil. Cool under cold water, then peel and chop into pieces.
2. Start the sauce (20 min). Cube the scamorza and chop the onion. Heat the oil in a large skillet (a wok works great), add the onion, and when softened add the peas. After a few minutes, add the passata, rinse the bottle with a splash of water into the pan, season with salt, and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes.
3. Half-cook the rice (8 min). Salt the water, cook the rice for half the package time, then drain.
4. Combine (3 min). Fold the half-cooked rice into the tomato-pea sauce and add the chopped eggs. Mix well.
5. Layer (3 min). Start filling the baking dish, alternating the rice mixture with cubes of smoked scamorza. Level the top.
6. Bake (30-35 min). Cover with plenty of grated Parmigiano and bake in a preheated static oven at 350°F (180°C) for 30-35 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

• Half-cook the rice. It finishes in the oven, absorbing the sauce — fully cooked rice would turn to mush.
• Simmer the sauce slowly. Twenty minutes deepens the tomato flavor and softens the peas.
• Layer the scamorza. Alternating rice and cheese means every spoonful has melted cheese.
• Ample Parmigiano on top. The golden crust is the dish's signature.
• Rest before cutting. Ten minutes lets the layers set into clean slices.
• Season the sauce, not the rice. The sauce carries the salt.

Mistake	Why It Hurts	The Fix
Fully cooking the rice	Mushy, broken bake	Stop at half the package time
Rushing the sauce	Raw, acidic tomato flavor	Full 20-minute simmer
Skipping the egg cooling	Green-ringed, hard-to-peel eggs	Ice bath immediately after boiling
Too little cheese	Dry, bland bake	Layer generously with scamorza
Cutting too soon	Falling-apart slices	Rest 10 minutes before serving
Over-salting	Cheese brings salt	Season the sauce lightly

• Ragù Version: Layer the rice with leftover meat ragù.
• Saffron Baked Rice: Add saffron to the rice water for golden color.
• Vegetarian: Skip nothing — this version is already vegetarian.
• Spicy: Add red pepper flakes to the sauce.
• Crunchy Top: Mix breadcrumbs with the Parmigiano for extra crunch.

Storage Method	Details
Refrigerator	Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freezer	Freeze in portions for up to 2 months.
Reheating	Reheat in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes, or in a skillet with a splash of water.

A generous, hearty bake pairs with honest wines:

• Aglianico — Southern red with the tomato richness.
• Primitivo — Juicy and fruity.
• Chianti — Classic Italian red.
• Lambrusco — A fizzy red that cuts through the cheese.

Per Serving (about 1½ cups)
Calories	520
Protein	20 g
Fat	16 g
Carbohydrates	76 g
Fiber	4 g

Nutrition values are approximate and will vary with brand choices and substitutions.

Why cook the rice only halfway?

It finishes in the oven, absorbing the sauce. Fully cooked rice would break down into mush during baking.

Can I use fresh peas?

Yes — add them with the passata and simmer a little longer. Frozen peas are the easy, reliable choice.

Can I make this ahead?

Assemble it up to a day ahead and bake when ready — it actually improves.

Is smoked scamorza essential?

Its smoky flavor and melt are the soul of the dish. Smoked mozzarella is the closest substitute.

Can I freeze leftovers?

Yes — portion and freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven.

• Tiella Barese (Volume 3)
• Risotto con Crema di Piselli e Guanciale (Volume 3)
• Risotto alla Milanese (Volume 1)

Recipe from "The Italian Kitchen" by Vita Milanese — Volume 3: Risotto & Rice

Recipe from The Italian Kitchen by Vita Milanese — Volume 3 · Risotto & Rice. Discover all volumes on the ebook page.