Arroz Doce

Found on every typical Portuguese dessert table is the beloved arroz doce (rice pudding), whose origins lie in the northern Minho region. This creamy pudding is made much like risotto, using short-grain rice cooked with milk. Sugar, egg yolks, salt, and lemon peel are also combined in the mixture. The finished dessert is sprinkled with ground cinnamon, often laid in intricate, lace-like patterns. A variation on this dessert is aletria, where the rice is substituted with angel hair or vermicelli pasta.