Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine the short grain rice, milk, sugar, vanilla extract, and finely grated lemon zest. Stir well to combine.
3. Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently. Continue to cook until the rice is tender. This should take about 20 minutes.
4. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until they're well combined. Gradually whisk a small amount of the hot rice mixture into the beaten eggs to temper them. This prevents the eggs from scrambling when they're added to the hot mixture.
5. Slowly pour the tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the rice mixture, stirring constantly to evenly distribute the heat.
6. Roll out your pastry dough on a lightly floured surface and line your 9-inch pie dish with it. Trim any excess dough and crimp the edges as desired.
7. Pour the rice and egg mixture into the pastry-lined pie dish.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and the rice filling is set. The filling should no longer jiggle when you gently shake the pie dish.
9. Remove the budino di riso from the oven and let it cool completely before slicing and serving. This allows the filling to fully set and makes slicing easier.