Ingredients:
• 1 cup long-grain white rice or basmati rice
• 1/2 cup broken vermicelli pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 3/4 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• fresh parsley for garnish, optional
Directions:
• Heat a dry skillet over low heat.
• Add the pine nuts and stir constantly for 3 to 5 minutes until golden brown and fragrant.
• Set them aside.
• Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch.
• Place rice in a medium bowl and cover with water.
• Soak for 15 to 20 minutes.
• Drain well.
• Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
• Add the vermicelli and continuously stir to toast it evenly. Vermicelli should turn a nice golden brown.
• Add the rice and continue to stir so that the rice will be well-coated with the olive oil. Season with salt.
• Add water/chicken broth and bring it to a boil.
• Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and cook undisturbed for 15 – 20 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender.
• Remove the pan from the heat.
• Let it rest covered for 5 minutes, then fluff the rice gently with a fork and stir in the toasted pine nuts.
