UK Cypriot celebrity Chef Loulla Astin cooking Rice Pudding

Rice Pudding / Ρυζόγαλο

A classic Greek/Cypriot pudding – thick and creamy, with a kiss of Cyprus rosewater (Ροδόνερο / Ροδόσταμα).
Rizogalo translates as Ρύζι/rice Γάλα/milk and is similar to English or French rice pudding, but cooked in a saucepan and never finished in the oven; I must admit I love baked rice pudding too.
I remember my grandmother Vasillou making this with her own homemade, thin, short pasta, called Trimma or Fithe (Τρίμμα η Φιδέ), small, thin noodles that look like vermicelli, and sometimes she made it with rice. She also used fresh milk from her goats, she never added egg yolks or cream, but always served the puddings warm in large bowls, topped with extra sugar and lots of ground cinnamon, and sometimes chopped almonds from her trees – absolutely delicious!
I like decorating my rice pudding with dried rose petals, pistachios and almond slivers.

Ingredients (makes 4-5 small bowls):
100g (4oz) short-grain Arborio rice or pudding rice
250mls (8fl oz) water
75g (3oz) caster sugar
900mls (1½ pints) whole milk
1 egg yolk
1 tsp cornflour, diluted in a little milk or water
2 -3 tablespoons rosewater
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract

For topping:
Ground cinnamon
Unsalted pistachio slivers (optional)
Almonds slivers (optional)
Dried rose petals (optional)

Method:
Place the rice with the water in a thick bottomed pan and place over a medium heat, bring to the boil, lower heat, stir occasionally until most of the water has been absorbed. Do not burn the rice!
Pour in the milk and sugar, bring to the boil, then turn the heat down to very low and simmer gently, stirring frequently; it takes quite a bit of stirring but well worth it, the rice should be cooked in 25-30 minutes or until the milk has reduced and thickened. If the rice has gone very thick, add a little bit more milk and remember, you don’t want the rice to be mush.
In a very small bowl, whisk the egg yolk with the diluted cornflour and rosewater, remove rice from the heat and add the egg mixture. Place back on a very low heat for a minute or two and keep mixing to cook the egg.
Place into small bowls, or a large bowl, sprinkle with ground cinnamon and decorate it how you like!
You can even enjoy it nice and warm for breakfast, topped with berries!