Greek Saffron Rice Pilaf (Pilafi)

Overhead view of Greek saffron rice pilafi in a blue and white striped bowl with a serving spoon.

Greek Saffron Rice Pilaf (Pilafi)

Oven-baked Greek rice pilaf with Kozani saffron, sheep's-milk butter and currants, finished with toasted almonds and pomegranate. Every grain separate, the way my grandmother Evgenia made it.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Servings

Calories 713kcal

Author by Jenny Skrapaliori Graves

Equipment

Large lidded baking dish, gastra or Dutch oven (about 5 qt / 5 L), or a deep baking pan with parchment and foil
Saucepan
Small baking tray

Ingredients

500 g basmati rice about 2½ cups; rinsed and well drained
½ cup Corinthian (Zante) currants about 75 g; tiny dried grapes, not the berry — or small dark raisins, sultanas, or chopped dried apricots
2 cups chicken stock 500 ml; vegetable stock for vegetarian
100 g butter about 7 tbsp; a good unsalted butter, 82% fat or more or sheep's-and-goat's-milk butter
0.5 g saffron threads one packet; Kozani saffron if possible
1 cinnamon stick
2 cups water 500 ml
1 teaspoon fine sea salt plus more to taste; see notes
freshly ground pepper

To finish

200 g blanched almonds whole or coarsely chopped
1 cup pomegranate seeds about 150 g

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F fan (200°C / 400°F conventional). Place the butter in a large lidded baking dish or Dutch oven and put it in the oven while it heats, so the butter melts.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan, heat the stock and water with the saffron, cinnamon stick, salt and pepper until steaming hot.
Rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear and drain it well. Once the butter has melted, carefully remove the pot from the oven. Add the rice and currants and stir well until every grain is coated in butter.
Pour in the hot stock mixture, including the cinnamon stick. Cover tightly with the lid (or parchment, then a tight layer of foil) and bake for 20–30 minutes, depending on your rice, until all the liquid is absorbed.
During the last 8–10 minutes of baking, spread the almonds on a small tray and toast them on another rack until golden.
Uncover the pilafi, remove the cinnamon stick and fluff gently with a fork. Top with the toasted almonds and pomegranate seeds and serve.

Notes

Salt: Between the stock and the butter there's already plenty of seasoning, so this doesn't need much. Start with 1 teaspoon of fine sea salt in the liquid, taste, and add more only if needed. If your stock is a salted boxed one, start with less.

Butter: Greek sheep's-and-goat's-milk butter (the jarred kind used for kourabiedes) gives the most traditional flavour. Otherwise, use a good unsalted butter with a high fat content, 82% or more.

Rice: Rinse the basmati until the water runs clear and drain it well; don't soak it, or it will absorb part of the measured stock before it reaches the pot. Rice batches absorb liquid at different speeds, so start checking at 20 minutes. If the rice is still firm and the pot is dry, add a few tablespoons of hot stock, cover and bake 5 minutes more.

Stovetop: If the oven is busy, see the stovetop method in the post.

Make ahead: Bake up to a day ahead; keep the almonds and pomegranate separate and add them after reheating.

Wine: A fruity Grenache or Xinomavro rosé, or an unoaked, full-bodied Chardonnay.

Nutritional info: These numbers are estimates, meant as a helpful guide. Actual values may vary based on the exact ingredients and products you choose.

Nutrition