Spanish cuisine · Dough, Pasta & Rice

Arroz al Horno

Valencian baked rice in a clay pot with chickpeas, potato slices and a whole head of garlic in the center.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 400 g round-grain rice
• 250 g chickpeas (cooked, jarred)
• 400 g waxy potatoes
• 3 ripe tomatoes
• 1 head garlic
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 900 ml strong vegetable stock
• 80 ml olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 220 °C top/bottom heat, peel the potatoes and cut into 1 cm thick slices, grate two tomatoes and slice the third.
2. Heat the olive oil in an ovenproof clay pot or cast-iron pan and fry the potato slices for 5–6 min. per side until golden at the edges; remove.
3. Add the grated tomatoes to the pot and reduce for 6–8 min. until dark and thick, then stir in the paprika briefly off the heat.
4. Add the rice and drained chickpeas, let them toast for 2 min. while stirring, pour in the hot stock with the crumbled saffron threads and season generously.
5. Fan the potato slices and the tomato slices on top and set the whole garlic head, cut-side up, in the center.
6. Bake the pot uncovered for 25–30 min. until the liquid is absorbed and the surface glistens dry; let rest for 5 min. and serve directly from the pot.