Spanish Rice and Pasta

Grown in the Ebro delta in Tarragona, this Bomba rice is capable of absorbing up to three times its weight in liquid, which means that it takes on the flavour of the cooking stock most effectively.  It makes a perfect paella, not only flavoursome, but with each grain of rice separate from the other. Illa de Riu is a third-generation family company, who grow exceptionally high quality rice. They have channelled their resources into improving the seed stocks of the rices they cultivate, and hence are responsible for growing some of the best rice in Spain.   

This rice is cultivated on the Moorish built river terraces of the town of Calasparra in Murcia. The variety (balilla x sollana) is highly absorbent taking up about 2.5 times its weight in liquid, so it can really show off the flavour of a good stock.

Single variety, not mixed with other varieties. Bahía rice is a round grain, which has a great ability to absorb all the flavour from the stock. “Ila de Riu” Bahia rice is a variety that has been considered one of the best rice of Spanish gastronomy from the sixties. Grains are grown from the Trías del Romero family’s own selected seed, and the rice is harvested and packed with great care. This rice offers consistency, flavour and quality to anyone cooking with it.  It is highly recommended for traditional “caldoso” (soupy) rice dishes, as the cooked grain is creamy, but is also ideal for traditional “seco” (dry) recipes.

Whilst the majority of rice in Spain is grown in the delta of the Rio Ebro in Valencia, this rice is cultivated on the Moorish built river terraces of the town of Calasparra in Murcia.  The variety (balilla x sollana) is highly absorbent taking up about 2.5 times its weight in liquid, so it can really show off the flavour of a good stock.

Whilst pasta is perceived as an almost exclusively Italian ingredient the people from Valencia have been making the traditional dish of fideua for decades. This pasta resembles short strands of spaghetti and is used like rice in a paella, paired with a sofrito and seafood to make the classic regional dish.