Rice, Piedmontese Fashion is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli's recipe of 1861, for a classic starter or accompaniment of boiled rice finished by frying in butter with onion, potato flesh, Parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper and salt and which is served garnished with anchovy fillets. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Rice, Piedmontese Fashion.
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This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Rice, Piedmontese Fashion that's derived from the chef, Charles Elmé Francatelli's 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
Original Recipe
No. 304.—RICE, PIEDMONTESE FASHION.
Chop a small onion very fine, and fry it in a saucepan with an ounce of butter ; then add half a pound of boiled rice dry, and the pulp of three baked potatoes ; season with an ounce of grated Parmesan cheese, and a pinch of cayenne and salt; pile up the rice in a hot dish; strew over the surface some cleansed fillets of anchovies or sardines, and send to table quite hot.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
250g rice (about 60g per person)
30g butter
1 onion, very finely chopped
3 baked potatoes, flesh scooped out and reserved
30g Parmesan cheese, grated
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of salt
10 anchovy fillets
Method:
Thoroughly wash the rice in a colander under plenty of cold, running, water to remove the excess starch. In the meantime, bring 1.5l of lightly-salted water to a boil, add the rice and cook for about 20 minutes, or until the rice is just tender.
Turn the rice into a sieve and allow to drain. In the meantime, melt the butter in a pan, add the onion and fry for about 8 minutes, or until soft. Add the rice and the flesh of the baked potatoes then stir in the Parmesan cheese, cayenne pepper and salt. Mix thoroughly to combine and cook until hot.
Pile the rice mixture in the centre of a serving dish, arrange the anchovy fillets on top and serve immediately.
