RICE CREAM WITH PEARS

Dessert

For the pears:
4 pears
8 cups water
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 vanilla pod

For the rice cream
1/3 cup rice
3/4 cups water
2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar

chopped pistacchi (plural for pistacchio)


Prepare pears: arrange all ingredients in a saucepan with lid (not too big, pears should stand and be covered by liquid) and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 30-40 minutes; pears have to be tender.
Remove from heat and let them cool in their syrup.

Prepare the rice cream: warm up the milk; in a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil, add a pinch of salt and rice and cook over medium heat until water is mostly absorbed, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add 1 cup of hot milk and cook over medium heat until it is mostly absorbed, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Now add the sugar and the remaining milk, cook over medium heat until it is mostly absorbed, about 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove from heat and let cool down at room temperature (or lukewarm).
Drain pears from their syrup and dice or slice them.
Transfer the cream to individual bowls, top with pears and chopped pistacchi, or any nuts you like such as almonds, hazelnuts....


You can substitute part of the pears cooking water with an equal part of dry white wine (or also red wine) if this dessert id not served to kids.
You can reserve syrup in a well closed glass jar in the refrigerator for a couple weeks (or freeze it) and you can use it to dip ladyfingers or to wet sponge cakes.