ladleful

Begin adding stock, one ladleful to start — and not adding another ladle until the previous addition has been fully and completely absorbed by the rice.

This is a process of slowly but surely cooking the rice via each ladleful — you’ll feel the difference as you stir, as the rice starts to give less and less resistance as each kernel begins to soften and plump as it cooks.

Take a ladleful of the boiling water and add it to the ricotta and spinach mixture, stirring it in to create a loose, creamy sauce.

Watch the merrymakers gather, the conversation flow and the awkward moments be thwarted through the offering of another ladleful.

Regardless of which way you decide to go, the casual and interactive nature of a spoonful of this, a ladleful of that is a natural way to get conversation going between everyone at the table.