Directions

1. 1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a 3- or 4-quart casserole (an ovenproof saucepan will do), stir a couple of times, and place in the oven.
2. 2. Cook for 30 minutes, then stir.
3. 3. Cook for 30 minutes more, then stir, at this point the milk will have developed a filmy cream-colored skin, and the rice will have begun to swell.
4. 4. Stir the filmy skin back into the liquid.
5. 5. Cook for 30 minutes more. The skin will have redeveloped, a little darker this time, and the kernels of rice will have swollen a little more.
6. 6. Cook for another 30 minutes, then stir. Now the pudding is almost done. Return the mixture to the oven and begin to check the pudding every 10 minutes, stirring gently each time you check.
7. 7. The pudding may be done 10, 20, or 30 minutes later. Invariably, it is done before you believe it is.
8. 8. When the mixture is silky, creamy, and thick, the rice suspended perfectly in a rich custard, it is overcooked, when it cools, it will become too hard (though still quite good to eat).
9. 9. You must make a leap of faith and remove the custard from the oven when the rice kernels are very swollen and the mixture is thick but still quite fluid. As it cools, it will thicken considerably. While it's cooling, remove the cinnamon stick.
10. 10. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold, garnished with a bit of ground cinnamon.