Festive Traditional Cypriot Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli

Name: Cypriot Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli and Pine Nuts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Cypriot Cuisine
Ingredients: 2 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted; 1 nest vermicelli pasta (fides)*; 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil; 1 small onion, grated; 1 cup parboiled rice; 1/2 cup passata; 1 1/2 cups homemade vegetable (or chicken) stock (or water with 1 vegetable (or chicken) bouillon); 1 tablespoon sea salt; Freshly grated black pepper; 1 tablespoon raisins or craisins; 1 tablespoon olive oil margarine (or butter)

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This Cypriot rice pilaf combines toasted vermicelli, fragrant pine nuts and plump raisins in a tomato and broth base, then molded and inverted for elegant table presentation. The dish balances nutty, sweet and savoury flavours in a single, festive side.

🌍Cypriot Cuisine 🏷️Rice pilaf 🏷️Rice pilaf with vermicelli 🏷️Festive rice pilaf 🏷️Cypriot rice pilaf

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🏷️Side dish

Festive Traditional Cypriot Rice Pilaf with Vermicelli

Total

30 min

Recipe Source

View original recipe

From Kopiaste · by Ivy Liacopoulou

Ingredients

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2 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
1 nest vermicelli pasta (fides)*
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, grated
1 cup parboiled rice
1/2 cup passata
1 1/2 cups homemade vegetable (or chicken) stock (or water with 1 vegetable (or chicken) bouillon)
1 tablespoon sea salt
Freshly grated black pepper
1 tablespoon raisins or craisins
1 tablespoon olive oil margarine (or butter)

11 Ingredients

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Instructions

1
Heat a large sauté pan on medium high heat. Add the pine nuts. Toast, stirring occasionally until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove the pine nuts from the hot pan to a bowl, set aside.
2
Add the olive oil and vermicelli and sauté it for a few minutes until it becomes gold.
3
Add the grated onion and sauté it for a few minutes.
4
Then add the rice and mix it for a couple of minutes, until coated with the oil.
5
Add the raisins and season with salt and pepper, add the tomato and chicken broth and cooked it for about 10 - 20 minutes (depending on type of rice used) or until the rice was cooked.
6
Add the olive oil margarine (or butter) and pine nuts and mix.
7
Put it in a mold and when it cools invert it in a platter.

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Tips & Notes

Pro tips

Toast the pine nuts first and remove them before adding oil; this prevents burning and keeps them crunchy.
Sauté the vermicelli until golden brown (2–3 minutes) to develop nutty flavour before adding rice.
Pack the finished pilaf firmly into the mold so it holds its shape when inverted onto the platter.
Use parboiled rice for best results; it cooks evenly in 10–20 minutes without becoming mushy.

Substitutions

Pine nuts → Sliced almonds or walnuts (toasted, similar texture and festive appeal)
Raisins → Craisins or dried apricots (as noted in ingredients; same quantity)
Passata → Fresh tomato purée or 2 tablespoons tomato paste diluted in water (1:1 ratio)
Margarine → Butter or additional olive oil (1 tablespoon, for richness)

Storage & make-ahead

Store cooled pilaf in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a pan with a little water before serving or unmolding.