Baked Porridge with Pear

I am moving in slow motion this morning. I know it's Sunday, a day to rest but I spent almost 4 hours making and eating breakfast. If you aren't moving as slow as molasses in the wintertime, you could easily make and eat this breakfast dish in under an hour and a half.

I saw this recipe from Panna about a month ago, however even with my pantry well stocked with various grains and flours, I had no semolina. I figured that any plain porridge would do, so I made a mixture of Cream of Rice and some wheat bran to use as the porridge base. Oatmeal would not work well for this however because of the texture.

This is going to become one of those recipes that I make often, especially in the fall and winter when hot cereal becomes the common breakfast of my house and there always seems to be about a half serving left over that is too little to save for the next day's breakfast but yet too much to throw out without feeling wasteful.

Baked Porridge with Pear
(serves 2)
1/2 cup milk
2 tbsp. Cream of Rice cereal
1/2 tbsp. wheat bran

1 egg
1 tbsp. light brown sugar
4 tbsp. spelt flour
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1 tsp. vanilla extract
scant 1/2 cup milk
1 pear

Preheat oven to 400F.

In a small sauce pan bring milk to a simmer. Stir in wheat bran and rice cereal. Cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Set aside to cool.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg and sugar until frothy. Stir in flour and spices. Mix well. Stir in milk. Add in the cool porridge and mix thoroughly.

Pour into 2 greased 10oz ramekins. Bake for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, wash a pear and slice in half lengthwise. Use a small spoon or melon-baller to remove seeds and core.

Remove porridge from oven and carefully place a pear half in each bowl. Sprinkle with additional brown sugar and cinnamon if desired.

Return to the oven and bake for another 30-35 minutes.

Enjoy!