Baked Spelt Pudding

Description

Source: Cooking Light Annual Recipes 2004 - Cooking Light Magazine

This unique dish is a rustic take on baked rice pudding. The long stint in the oven (3 1/2 hours) gives the pudding a rich, creamy texture.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup uncooked spelt (farro), rinsed and drained
• 4 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• Cooking spray
• Dash of ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Place spelt in a medium saucepan.
2. Cover with water to 2 inches above spelt; bring to a boil.
3. Cook 2 minutes; remove from heat.
4. Cover and let stand 1 hour.
5. Drain.
6. Place spelt in a food processor; process 45 seconds or until spelt resembles coarse meal.
7. Preheat oven to 275°.
8. Combine spelt, milk, sugar, salt, cardamom, and vanilla in a 2 quart casserole coated with cooking spray.
9. Bake at 275° for 3 1/2 hours, stirring every hour to prevent a skin from forming.
10. Remove vanilla bean.
11. Let stand 5 minutes.
12. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
13. Serve warm or chilled.

Yield: 6 servings