Sartu di Riso alla Marchigiana — Baked Rice Timbale with Chicken Liver Filling

Marche — the baked rice timbale tradition of the Marche reflects the region's historical position at the intersection of the southern Italian baroque cooking tradition (which produced the Neapolitan sartu) and the more restrained central Italian approach. The Marchigiani version is less exuberant than the Neapolitan and more elegant.

The Marchigiani baked rice timbale (occasionally called sartu or timballo di riso) is a baroque preparation: a drum of rice sealed with breadcrumbs, baked in a mould, and filled with a mixture of chicken livers, peas, hard-boiled eggs, and a short-cooked meat ragù. Unmoulded at the table, the timbale reveals its architectural construction — the golden-baked rice crust opening to the savoury interior. The preparation requires planning: the ragù is made the day before; the rice is partially cooked and bound with egg; the filling is assembled; the mould is constructed. It is a Sunday preparation or a special-occasion primo.

The timballo di riso marchigiano unmoulded at the table is a preparation of visual pleasure — the golden, slightly crispy rice drum, the first cut releasing the steam and the scent of chicken liver and sage. The rice is slightly sticky, egg-bound, and carries the Parmigiano throughout. The filling is complex and aromatic. Each slice contains all the elements simultaneously.