I know what you’re thinking. Why on earth did you put meat in the middle of a cake? That’s just gross.

Don’t worry, I’ll explain.

Sartù di riso is actually an Italian rice dish, not a cake. It can be baked in several different types of pans, but I love using a bundt cake pan. By using a donut-shaped pan, you can fill the center with extra sauce and filling. Most of all, it just looks pretty impressive.

To make sartù di riso, arborio rice (yes, the same rice you use to make risotto!) is first simmered with a bit of chicken stock. Once cooled, the mostly-cooked rice is mixed with freshly grated parmesan cheese, eggs, and a little salt. The rice mixture is then pressed into the sides of a pan coated with breadcrumbs.

The breadcrumbs play a crucial role in making a successful sartù di riso. Without them, it would be nearly impossible to get the timbale out of the pan in one piece. If there are any bare areas of the pan, the rice will quickly stick to it. I actually missed a spot when making this one and had to spend an extra few minutes banging the pan against the cutting board to get it out.

After the rice has been gently pressed into the pan, the sausage and meatball filling is poured into the well left by the rice. Then, any remaining rice is spread out over the filling to create the bottom of the sartù di riso.

The pan is then placed into the oven, until the breadcrumbs turn a beautiful golden brown.

This impressive dish is definitely not a last-minute weeknight dinner since it takes a considerable amount of time to make. However, you can easily prepare the meatball and sausage filling the day before to cut down on prep time.

You can even make the entire sartù di riso the day before, then refrigerate it in the bundt pan before baking. About 1 1/2 hours before you’re ready to serve it, place the bundt pan into the preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, until the breadcrumbs have turned golden brown the the sartù is hot throughout.

This is also a great dish for leftovers. We’ve been enjoying them for days!