Rice was introduced into Spain in the eighth century around the freshwater lagoon of the Albufera just south of Valencia. While Spain is Europe’s second largest producer of rice—Italy produces some 48 percent of its total compared to Spain’s 30 percent—the country’s best and most sought-after rice still grows around the Albufera. Valencia and its environs remain the heart of Spanish rice culture. (See page 147 for more on Valencian rice.)
Most famous of all Spanish rice dishes is, of course, the iconic paella. Prepared in an eponymous wide pan, the rice remains in a thin layer. (The pan just gets wider, not deeper.) The authentic paella valenciana includes rabbit, chicken, snails, and three types of local green beans. But there are many traditional combinations, from rabbit with artichokes (see page 138) to the Mediterranean favorite with shellfish (see page 141). I tend to ignore the purists who dismiss such variations as “rice in a paella pan” rather than authentic paellas. But I do agree that to be a paella, it needs to be prepared in a paella pan.
Paella is considered an arroz seco (a dry rice) because of its final (dryish) consistency. There can be similar ingredients in other styles of rice dishes, with the difference found in the final texture. A meloso, or moist rice, is cooked in a cazuela (a round, flat casserole), while a caldoso (soupy or brothy) means you need a spoon to eat it. Though how soupy varies greatly, from just soupy to really soupy.
Importantly, in each of these variations, rice remains the protagonist: Everything is done to flavor the short, highly absorbent grains of rice that really just act as vehicles for the flavors. The most celebrated of the varieties is Bomba, which is a bit more resilient than other varieties in that it is less likely to “open.” It is the main variety exported to North America, and also the one I recommend for anyone who doesn’t frequently cook Spanish-style rice.
For these rice dishes, calculate about ½> cup/100 g of uncooked rice per person for paellas and moist rice dishes and 1/3 cup/66 g for soupy ones. These are generous servings. But if there is a spoonful left over, then you are lucky.
Spain has, too, its own pasta traditions, some going back to the Middle Ages and appearing in the earliest cookery books. Fideos are short, thin noodles that are cooked in the manner of a paella in a wide pan and called fideuà (see page 153), with the noodles absorbing (like rice) the flavors of the pan. There are also a couple of slightly moister country versions with thicker noodles cooked in a cazuela (see page 152).
Two other centuries-old pasta specialties stand out. Macarrones, or penne pasta with tomato sauce and fresh sausage (see page 156) is one. The other is canelones, stuffed cannelloni with ground meat (see page 157), mushrooms (see page 160), or spinach and pine nuts.
The rice and pasta dishes in this chapter are generally platos únicos, one-dish meals that break the Spanish tradition of first course–second course. There might be a few appetizers and probably a green salad in the middle of the table, but when the pan is carried to the table, the cook’s work is done.
