RIZOGALO (Creamy Rice Pudding)

Here is a recipe that I just got from the Greek Festival my family and I went to.

1 cup long-grain rice
6 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 tspn butter
1 small cinnamon stick
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Ground cinnamon, for garnish

In a large saucepan, combine rice, milk sugar, and butter. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until mixture is thick and creamy and the rice has absorbed the liquid and is soft. Add cinnamon stick about halfway through.

Just before removing the rice pudding from heat, beat egg yolks until creamy in a medium-size bowl. Discard cinnamon stick and stir in grated lemon rind. Remove the pudding from heat and stir in vanilla. Add a little pudding at a time to the egg yolks, stirring all the while, then pour egg yolks into pudding and stir well with a wooden spoon.

Pour the pudding into a large serving bowl or into individual bowls and refrigerate. Sprinkle with cinnamon before serving.

Yield 10-12 servings.

We'll probably make it in the near future. My husband loves rice pudding.