Orange Passion Fruit Rice Pudding for Two

I always find people are reluctant to make a dessert if there is just two people in the house. This is the simplest sweet treat that can easily be doubled if you have a bigger crowd. I love it topped with some fresh fruit, a drizzle of honey and (yes!) a drizzle of buttery mild extra virgin olive oil. If you have ever tried a supreme mild olive oil it has a velvety, fruity taste that perfectly cuts the sweet pudding......Just try it!! I also pour some on my breakfast oatmeal. Leftovers can be made into sweet risotto balls rolled in graham cracker crumbs...like a sweet rice donut.

You will need: for 2 people

• 1/2 cup of arborio, carnaroli or bomba (risotto rice- short grained)
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups milk (I used 1% fat)
• 1/4 cup vanilla sugar (that's just sugar infused with vanilla beans or you can use regular sugar)
• 1/2 tsp Cointreau or other orange liqueur
• another 1/2 cup milk
• 1 ripe peach - peeled and sliced
• a few pistachios - chopped (unsalted)
• a drizzle of honey
• a drizzle of a mild fruity olive oil like a Lorenzo Biancolilla .....if you dare! (don't use cheap grocery store plain ol' olive oil here)

Step 1: in a large pot add rice, salt, cinnamon and 1 1/2 cups milk. Let the milk just come to a boil (don't walk away!) stir and then turn down to the lowest setting and cover. Leave for 10 minutes.

Step 2: remove lid and stir to loosen any rice from bottom of pot. It has to cook on very low to avoid burning. Add sugar, orange liqueur and another 1/2 cup of milk. Mix well to incorporate. Cover and continue to cook on very low for another 14 minutes until it looks like risotto. It should be creamy and thick and the rice should be tender.

Step 3: Place in individual bowls and serve this warm or room temp with some slices of peaches or mango and a scoop of a fresh passion fruit a drizzle of honey and a bit of some great olive oil.

Step 4:  if you have leftovers you can scoop into balls and roll in some graham cracker crumbs, dip in a whisked egg and another roll of crumbs, then fry in some mild fruity olive oil. They taste like a cinnamon rice donut ball.