To make a good risotto, the quality of the rice is very important. The ideal rice for risotto is “superfino” or ” rice for risotto”, which has a high starch content and a creamy texture when cooked.
Specifically, the types of Italian rice most commonly used for risotto are Arborio, Carnaroli, and Vialone Nano.
These types of rice have different textures and slightly different flavors, but they all work well for risotto.
Arborio is the most common type of rice and has a soft, creamy texture.
Carnaroli has a longer grain and retains its al dente texture after cooking, making it ideal for risottos with ingredients that require longer cooking.
Vialone Nano has a smaller grain and a texture similar to Arborio but is less creamy and more suitable for risottos with fish or vegetables.
How To Cook Risotto. 10 Tips for a Perfect Risotto
Risotto is a northern Italian rice and owes its name to the way of preparing the risotto recipe.
- heat the broth in a pot
- place the butter in a pan
- add the soffritto and let it cook 2 min
- add the rice and let it toast 2 min
- add wine and let evaporate
- add the hot broth
- cook 18 minutes
- add little butter and grated Parmigiano cheese
1- The choice of rice
See "What is the Best Type of Rice for Risotto Recipe?" above.
2 – Which type of broth may i use for risotto?
You can use 3 different types of broth according to the type of ingredients. In general you can use both, vegetable broth or meat broth indifferently. It all depends on the taste that we want to give our dish.
But there’s only one thing absolutely mandatory: for risotto with fish and seafood, the only authorized broth is precisely fish stock.
3 – Butter or oil?
Risotto is a Northern Italian dish, born in the days when it was lightly fried in butter (or lard). And we continue to do so. In special way if you want a creamy risotto and if you want to follow the traditional recipe.
So, the first move is to toast rice with butter. Add a little of extra virgin olive oil if you like but don’t cook it without butter. The only exception is the seafood risotto, which prefers extra virgin olive oil only.
4 – How to make the soffritto
How to cook risotto with soffritto? What I use, onion or shallots? Matter of taste, but to get a more delicate flavor and to avoid the risk of covering the flavor of the other ingredients, we recommend the shallot. Of course, is not a dogma.
A risotto with sausage may prefer the onion, maybe Tropea red onion, which gives the dish a special flavor. The only obligation is to always chop onion and shallots finely and carefully.
5 – The Toasting. For a perfect Risotto
Toasting is the important step in risotto preparation. It’s that which most distinguishes Italian risotto from the preparation of other types of rice (compared, for example, to the Spanish paella).
So, after melting the butter in a pan, add the finely chopped shallots and cook for 2 minutes, then add the rice and stir (without water or broth). Toast it over high heat for 2 min.
The toasting causes the caramelization of the grains starch and consequently a greater cooking seal.
6 – How to handle ingredients
How to cook risotto with all sorts of ingredients? And how can we get the most from the ingredients that accompany the rice? The answer is to always respect the cooking time of the ingredient and add it to the rice making sure that it doesn’t overcook or remains raw.
Three examples: radicchio must be added immediately after toasting; zucchini during half cooking; porcini mushrooms just before serving. The rest is left to the good sense of the person who’s cooking.
7 – When add the wine
The wine is an optional ingredient. It is not suitable for all types of risotto. Red wine or white wine must be matched to the type of risotto. Usually, the red wine goes with risotto with meat and white wine goes with seafood risotto. But much depends on the recipe and on personal taste. However, the wine should be added after toasting. When the rice is toasted, add a glass of wine and let evaporate.
8 – When add the broth?
Add the broth as soon as the rice becomes glossy and transparent and you see that it’s sticking to the pan. Add a ladle at a time and stir, so that ingredients don’t “drown” in the broth.
9 – Don’t always stir
Cook the rice in the broth without stirring constantly. Stir only when you see that the rice is drying and then add a little broth.
10 – How to make a creamy risotto
When risotto is al dente, remove from the heat, add a knob of butter and (optional) grated Grana Padano cheese (or Parmigiano Reggiano). Cover it with the lid a couple of minutes then stir just before serving on the plates.
Don’t use heavy cream, it’s not necessary. This procedure favors the creaminess of the dish, one of the fundamental characteristics of Italian risotto. Serve it immediately and hot.
If you want risotto appreciated in all its goodness it must be served and eaten warm.
Risotto agli Asparagi - Asparagus Risotto
Ingredients:
- 500 g (1,1 pound) of asparagus
- 1.5 liters (6 1/3 cups) of vegetable broth made with carrot, celery, onion and the hard parts of the asparagus spears (read step 2)
- 1 small onion for the soffritto
- 320 g (~ 1 2/3 cups) of Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 60 g (1/4 cup) of unsalted butter
- 60 g (1/2 cup) of grated Parmigiano cheese
- 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- a pinch of fine salt
- ice
Method:
- First, clean the asparagus. Rinse them under running water to remove any soil.
Divide the asparagus into three parts. Cut off the toughest part of the stalk, which you can add to the vegetable broth.
PLEASE NOTE: To find out how much asparagus stalk to discard, simply bend the asparagus. It will break at the junction of the softer and leathery parts. Also, if the stalk is very thick, you may want to peel it with a vegetable peeler to remove the harder outer part.
Next, cut off the asparagus tips, which are the most tender part, and set them aside.
Finally, cut the rest of the stalk into rounds. - If you have not already done it, prepare the vegetable broth according to the basic recipe. In addition to the carrot, celery and onion, you can add the hard parts of the asparagus spears to maximize the flavor of the asparagus.
Cover with water (about 2 liters – 8 1/2 cups) and cook, starting with cold water, for at least half an hour from boiling. You should get about 1 1/2 liters of asparagus-flavored vegetable broth.
Meanwhile, put oil in a saucepan and sauté the chopped onion for a few minutes. - Then add the asparagus cut into rounds. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally adjust the salt.
Then add a ladle of broth. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes. - At this point, reduce the heat to low and use a skimmer to scoop out almost all of the asparagus and onion (about 3/4).
Place them in the bowl of an immersion blender. Blend with a drizzle of oil and a little salt (taste before adding it!) to make a creamy asparagus puree.
This will make the risotto creamier and more colorful. Set the mashed asparagus aside. - Now add the rice and stir. Add 1 ladle of broth, stir, and cook over medium heat for 15 minutes.
Whenever the risotto dries out – because it’s absorbing the broth – add a ladle of broth and stir, then let it simmer. You may or may not end up using all the broth. The key is to taste and adjust accordingly! - While the rice is cooking, in a small saucepan, boil the asparagus tips in water for 2-3 minutes.
Place them in ice to keep them nice and bright and crisp. Set aside. - Towards the end of the rice cooking, after about 15 minutes, add the asparagus cream and mix well.
If necessary, add another half ladle of broth. The risotto should be creamy and al dente (taste, taste and then taste!).
At the end of the cooking time, which usually takes 18 minutes for Carnaroli and Arborio rice, turn off the heat and stir in the butter and grated Parmigiano.
Add the asparagus tips and stir. Set some tips aside to decorate the dish.
Serve the asparagus risotto piping hot, garnishing the plates with some asparagus tips and, if you like, more grated Parmigiano cheese.
Saffron Risotto with Asparagus
You can add flavor and color to your asparagus risotto by adding some spices. Saffron and turmeric, dissolved in a little hot water at the end of cooking, are excellent.Asparagus and Gorgonzola Risotto
If you like cheese and want an even creamier risotto, in addition to butter and parmigiano, you can add about 50 grams of a flavorful cream cheese. For example, Caprino, Taleggio, or Gongorzola.Asparagus and Shrimp Risotto
Very popular is the version with shrimps.Shrimp, with its sweetness and delicacy, goes well with the flavor of asparagus. Add the shrimp to the risotto during the last 5 minutes of cooking.
If you don’t have fresh shrimp, you can use frozen shrimp: the flavor and aroma will not be the same, but you will still get a good risotto.
Risotto with asparagus and prawns is a very refined and elegant dish, perfect for special occasions.
Asparagus and Sausage Risotto
Another very tasty and rich variation is risotto with asparagus and bacon or sausage.You can add chopped bacon or crumbled sausage to the onion soffritto.
This way, the sausage will cook with the rice and its fat will remain in the risotto. You will have a risotto that is higher in calories, but also more flavorful.
Alternatively, you can toast the bacon or sausage in a separate pan.
When they are nicely crisped, add them to the risotto already on the plates. This keeps the fat in the pan and adds a crispy, flavorful touch to your asparagus risotto!
If you like a smoky flavor, you can use smoked bacon instead of sausage for an asparagus risotto with a twist.
There are two ways to prepare it.
Asparagus and Strawberry Risotto
Another special combination that brings all the colors and flavors of spring into a dish is with strawberries.
Asparagus and strawberry risotto is a very easy recipe to make with a truly excellent result.
It’s basically a combination of a strawberry risotto and an asparagus risotto. A feast of flavors and colors that go together perfectly!
Follow the recipe for Asparagus Risotto as described. When adding the asparagus tips, at the end of cooking, add 5-6 chopped strawberries.
Then mix with butter and grated parmigiano as described.
Decorate with the asparagus tips and half a strawberry.
Reference:
https://www.recipesfromitaly.com/asparagus-risotto/
Risi e Bisi - Authentic Venetian Rice and Peas
Risi e Bisi is a genuine comfort food, a cross between a risotto and a soup. It should be soft and creamy, neither too dry nor too runny.
The custom is to eat Risi e Bisi with a spoon and not with a fork as is done for risotto.
Moreover, broth is added all at once and not gradually as it is done for risotto.
For these reasons it is better to consider Risi e Bisi as a thick soup rather than a risotto.
Ingredients:
- 350 g (2 1/3 cups) of “Vialone Nano” rice
- 1 kg (about 2 pounds) of fresh peas with pods
- 1 liter (4 cups) of vegetable broth or chicken broth
- 60 g (about 1/2 stick) of unsulted butter
- 1 small onion
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- 50 g (2 oz) of pancetta
- 50 g (1/2 cup) of Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano
- 2 tablespoons of chopped parsley
- Fine salt to taste
- Ground black pepper to taste
- First, prepare a vegetable or chicken broth, according to your taste. Of course, you can prepare it the day before and keep it in the refrigerator.
Then shell the peas, keeping the pods aside. Once you have shelled all the pods, wash them well under running water. - Boil the pods in lightly salted water for about 45 minutes. Once cooked, blend them with an immersion blender until they are a thick puree. Then pour the puree into a colander to collect the liquid and remove the fibrous part.
Keep the liquid thus collected warm; we’ll use it in the following steps. - Now chop the onion and cut the pancetta into small pieces. Place the oil, half the butter, onion and pancetta in a large skillet.
- Sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Then add the chopped parsley as well.
- Now add the peas and two ladles of broth. Cook for about 5 minutes.
- Then add the green juice made from the pods, season to taste with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Then, lower the heat and add the rice.
- Cook slowly for about 15 minutes. While cooking, stir risi and bisi from time to time and, if they get too dry, add more broth. REMEMBER: the consistency is not that of a risotto but more that of a thick soup.
When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and add the other half of the butter. - Then add the grated Parmigiano cheese and stir. The authentic Venetian recipe for Risi e Bisi is ready! Serve immediately and piping hot.
If the recipe for rice with fresh peas takes too long or is not in season and you can’t find fresh peas with their pods, you can simply use frozen or canned peas.
We recommend blending half of the boiled peas with a ladle of broth. This way you will have a green and creamy part that will replace, also aesthetically, the broth made with the pea pods.
Lighter version
If you want to make a light version of the risi e bisi, first of all use the vegetable broth and not the chicken one.You can also replace the butter with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and the bacon with Parma ham.
Risi e bisi, Vegetarian Recipe
Although the main ingredients in this recipe are rice and peas, we cannot consider it a vegetarian recipe.The authentic version includes chicken broth and there is pancetta in the sauce.
We mentioned in the paragraph above that you can use vegetable broth to have a lighter version, maybe we can even replace the butter with oil.
But if we also remove the pancetta or parma ham we will have a good risotto with peas but it certainly cannot be considered the authentic Venetian recipe of “risi e bisi”.
Reference:
https://www.recipesfromitaly.com/risi-e-bisi-recipe/
Risotto alla Nocciola con Pecorino - Hazelnut Risotto with Pecorino Cheese
Ingredients:
- 300 g (2 1/2 cups) of Carnaroli rice. We recommend Superfine Carnaroli Rice by Colavita
- 40 g (1,4 oz) of peeled chopped hazelnuts + more for decoration
- 100 g (about 1 cup) of grated Pecorino Romano Cheese (or Parmigiano aged 24/36 months)
- 1 liter (4 cups) of vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup of dry white wine
- 1 little onion or 1 shallot
- 30 g (1/3 stick) of unsulted butter
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- fine salt
- freshly grated black pepper
- First of all, make a vegetable broth. When the broth is ready, reduce the heat and hold at a gentle simmer covered with a lid. You can make it even 1 or 2 days ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator till you need it.
Meanwhile, finely chop the onion. In a large pan, sauté the onion with the oil and half the butter, till the onion is soft and translucent. - Add the rice and toast on medium heat with the onion for a couple of minutes.
- Now add the white wine and let it evaporate over high heat. Turn the heat down to medium, stir and add 2 or 3 ladles of hot broth.
- The rice must cook over medium heat ALWAYS covered with broth. So if the broth evaporates, add 1 or 2 ladles.
Carnaroli rice usually cooks in 18 minutes. Anyway, check the cooking times on the packaging of the rice. Stir occasionally.
Towards the end of cooking, let the broth completely evaporate then add the remaining butter. If necessary, season with some fine salt. - While the rice is cooking, coarsely chop the hazelnuts. Finally, add the grated Pecorino, the chopped hazelnuts and some freshly grated black pepper.
Serve Hazelnut Risotto with Pecorino cheese with a sprinkling of chopped hazelnuts on top.
Reference:
https://www.recipesfromitaly.com/hazelnut-risotto/
Risotto gamberi e zucchine - Shrimp and Zucchini Risotto
Ingredients:
- 450 g (1 Pound) of medium shrimp (shells removed and deveined)
- 1.5 liters (6 cups) of vegetable broth
- 3 medium zucchini
- 1 red medium onion
- 100 ml (1/2 cup) of dry white wine
- 450 g (3 cups) of Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- a pinch of black pepper (optional)
- a pinch of fine salt
- First, make a vegetable broth: you need it to cook risotto. You can make it the day before and store in the refrigerator. Reheat when needed.
Simmer slowly to keep it always hot while cooking the risotto.
TIP: If your shrimps are fresh, add 2 or 3 shrimp shells and heads to make your broth even tastier! - Now you have to clean the shrimps. So remove the head and discard shells and inner intestine and set aside.
- Now wash the zucchini and remove the ends. Cut them into round, thin slices. Set aside.
- In a large pan, sauté the chopped onion with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil for 1-2 minutes. As soon as the onion is golden, add the zucchini. Cook over low heat for about 5 minute, until they are soft.
- Then add the rice and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring from time to time, until it becomes shiny and transparent.
- Turn up the heat and add the white wine. Keep the heat high and let it evaporate. Then add 2 or 3 ladles of hot broth and mix. Add a little salt and ground black pepper. Cook for about 12 minutes WITHOUT the lid on, stirring occasionally.
The rice must remain covered with broth. So, when you see that the risotto is drying out, add 1 or 2 ladles of broth.
If you are using Carnaroli rice, it cooks in 18 minutes. If you are using another type of rice, read the cooking times on the package and adjust accordingly. - At the end of 12 minutes, add the shrimp. Stir and cook for 5-6 minutes, letting the broth evaporate as much as possible.
IMPORTANT: shrimp don’t need long cooking times. If you are using medium/large shrimp, they cook in 5/6 minutes. You need 3 or 4 minutes for smaller shrimps. If you let shrimp overcook, they harden so pay attention. - Once the risotto is cooked, taste it and season with salt if necessary. Add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil and mix. Wait 2 or 3 minutes before serving.
For the success of this recipe, better to use FRESH SHRIMPS and make sure they are of good quality. Shrimp meat must be firm; its shell must be without spots and of a bright color.
Alternatively, you can use frozen shrimps (always of excellent quality!)
The important thing is to add them to the risotto a few minutes before finishing cooking, so they will preserve flavor and texture.
If you use fresh shrimp and they are whole, still to be cleaned, you can boil the shrimp scraps, shells and heads, in the broth together with the vegetables (read step 1). You will get a sort of fish broth with which to cook your risotto!
Shrimp and zucchini risotto variants:
At the end of cooking, you can flavor shrimp and zucchini risotto with a sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley or with a little grated lemon zest.
For a particular taste, you can blend the risotto with Brandy instead of white wine.
You can give color and flavor to your shrimp and zucchini risotto adding a pinch of saffron or turmeric: dissolve it in a ladle of boiling broth while the risotto is cooking.
Reference:
https://www.recipesfromitaly.com/shrimp-and-zucchini-risotto/
Risotto alle fragole - Strawberry risotto
Ingredients:
- 1 little white onion
- 1 liter of vegetable broth
- 100 ml (1/2 cup) of Prosecco wine or other sparkling white wine
- 350 g (1 3/4 cup) of Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 350 g (1 1/2 cup) of strawberries
- 40 g (1/3 stick) of unsalted butter
- 50 g (1/2 cup) grated Parmigiano cheese
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- a pinch of fine salt
- a few drops of balsamic vinegar of Modena (optional)
- a few mint leaves to decorate (optional)
- First prepare a vegetable stock, if you don’t already have it. Vegetable stock should not be too aromatic and tasty. Carrot, celery and a small onion in 1 liter and a half of lightly salted water is enough. Boil for at least 40 minutes. You are going to use the broth to cook risotto, slowly, letting the rice absorb it little by little. Meanwhile, wash the strawberries then dry them well. Remove the green tuft and cut them into small pieces. Keep a few whole strawberries for the final decoration.
- Chop the onion and sauté over medium heat in a pan with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil. Add the rice and cook for 2/3 minutes, always stirring, untill the grains are slightly glassy.
- Then add the white wine, stir and let it evaporate, over high heat. We recommend a Prosecco wine. Then add the hot vegetable stock. At first, there will be a sizzle: part of the stock, in contact with the hot pan, evaporates. Then immediately add another ladle of stock. During cooking, the rice must always be covered with stock; in this way it releases the starches and the grain does not break.
- Halfway through cooking, after about 8 minutes, add half of chopped strawberries, stirring constantly. Strawberries become creamy and give the risotto its characteristic color.
- When the rice is cooked, after another 8/10 minutes, turn off the heat. Add grated Parmigiano cheese and butter. Stir to combine and finish with the remaining strawberries. Strawberry risotto is ready! You can add two or three drops of balsamic vinegar, a few mint leaves and decorate with strawberries.
If you love savory strong cheeses, the firs tip is to whisk the strawberry risotto with goat cheese or with gorgonzola cheese in place of Parmigiano. These two cheeses are very tasty and go perfectly with the the strawberry flavor. In fact, they are often served with fruit in appetizers or with aperitifs.
Now we are going to show you an original idea, an alternative way to enjoy Strawberry Risotto: not as a first course but as a side dish. The particular taste of this sweet/savory risotto recipe goes very well with certain types of meat, for example with lamb or pork. The use of creamy risotto in this case is similar to that of a sauce.
Strawberry and Shrimp Risotto
Strawberry and shrimp risotto is a typically summer fresh variant. The recipe is exactly the same as we have showed you but with the addition of shrimp. Add about 200 g (7 oz) of raw and peeled shrimp to the risotto halfway through cooking, along with the strawberries. The result is really nice and very tasty!Reference:
https://www.recipesfromitaly.com/strawberry-risotto-recipe/
Risotto ai porri - Leek risotto
Ingredients:
- 2 medium leeks
- 1.5 liters of vegetable broth
- 100 ml (3,5 oz) of dry white wine
- 450 g (1 lb) of Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 80 g (3 oz) of unsalted butter
- 120 g (4,5 oz) grated Parmigiano cheese
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- a pinch of black pepper (optional)
- a pinch of fine salt
- First thing first make a vegetable stock: you’ll need it to cook risotto. You can make it the day before and keep it in the refrigerator. Reheat when necessary. Then clean the leeks. Remove the dark green part of the leek and the last part with the roots. Then remove even the hardest outer leaf, which you can add to the stock for more flavor.
- Cut the leeks into rings and rinse them under fresh water to remove any earth residues.
- In a large saucepan, pour 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and half a dose of butter. Turn on the heat and when the butter has melted, add the rings of leeks, a pinch of salt and a ladle of vegetable stock. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the rice and mix well. Then add the white wine and let the it evaporate.
- Finally add hot vegetable stock, very little at a time stirring constantly. Let it cook for about 15 minutes. At the end turn off the heat and add Parmigiano cheese and the remaining butter. Mix well for a creamy leek risotto. If you like, add some freshly ground black pepper. Serve leek risotto immediately hot with a little more grated Parmigiano cheese to taste.
Leek Risotto with Gorgonzola Cheese
If you like strong flavors and love cheese, we recommend replacing the butter with 70 g (2.5 oz) of Gorgonzola cheese at the end of cooking. The strong and decisive flavor of Gongorzola goes very well with the sweet and delicate flavor of the leek.Leek Risotto with Italian Sausage
If you have richer tastes, you can add a touch of flavor and color with a crumbled sausage. Add the sausage to the stewed leek, before adding the rice. Risotto with leeks and sausage is very popular in northern Italy.Leek Risotto with Crispy Bacon
Finally, when risotto with leeks in ready, serve it in a plate but first sprinkle it with small crispy diced bacon, previously toasted in a very hot pan.Reference:
https://www.recipesfromitaly.com/leek-risotto-recipe/
Risotto alla zucca - Pumpkin risotto
Ingredients:
- 450 g (16 oz) of pumpkin pulp (butternut squash)
- 1 medium onion
- 1.5 liters (about 6 cups) of vegetable broth
- 400 g (2 cups) of Carnaroli or Arborio rice
- 80 g (3/4 stick) of unsalted butter
- 120 g (1 1/3 cups) grated Parmigiano cheese
- 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
- a pinch of ground black pepper (optional)
- a pinch of salt
Method:
- First start with the pumpkin so remove the seeds and skin and cut it into small pieces.
- Then cut the onion and place it in a stainless steel pan with the oil and half the butter. Let it sautè over low heat for about 5 minutes.
- Now add the pieces of pumpkin and a little of hot vegetable stock.
- Let cook covered with the lid for about 10 minutes until the pumpkin starts to become soft. When the pumpkin has absorbed almost all of the broth and you see that the onion and pumpkin have become a cream, add the rice.
- Mix well and then add the hot vegetable stock, very little at a time stirring constantly. Then let it cook; it will take about 15 minutes. Add a little fine salt according to your taste.
Finally turn off the heat and add the Parmigiano cheese and the remaining butter. Mix to make the pumpkin risotto creamy. If you like, add some grated black pepper. Serve pumpkin risotto immediately hot.
Pumpkin risotto can be served with your favorite cheese: we have suggested grated Parmigiano, but you can also use taleggio, mascarpone or gorgonzola for a stronger taste.
If you like spicy flavors, pumpkin risotto goes very well even with sweet paprika that you can sprinkle on hot risotto before serving.
Finally, rosemary is also often paired with dishes with pumpkin and therefore also with risotto: you can add a sprig of rosemary while the pumpkin is cooking and remove it before adding the rice.
Pumpkin Risotto with Crispy Bacon
Just cut the bacon into thin strips and fry them in a frying pan for a few minutes. When the risotto is ready, sprinkle them on top and serve.Pumpkin and Sausage Risotto
Remove the sausage from its casing and crumble it coarsely with your hands, then brown it in the risotto pan together with the chopped onion.Add the rice and blend with a bit of white wine. Add the pumpkin pulp and continue as we have explained, gradually pouring a ladle of hot broth till the rice is cooked.
Pumpkin and Porcini Risotto
Try the version with porcini, really perfect for the fall season. So sautè the pumpkin pulp with the onions in a little oil and then reduce to cream with an immersion blender.Cook the rice in a separate pan with porcini and halfway through cooking add the sweet pumpkin cream. You will discover a tasty fragrant and incredibly soft dish.
Reference:
https://www.recipesfromitaly.com/pumpkin-risotto-recipe/
Risotto alla Milanese (Saffron Risotto)
Ingredients:
- 350 g (1 3/4 cups) of Carnaroli rice
- 2 liters (about 8 cups) of beef or chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon of saffron threads
- 90 g (about 1 stick) of butter
- 1 little onion or 1 shallot
- 100 ml (1/2 cup) of dry white wine
- 60 g (1/2 cup) of grated Parmigiano
- First of all, make beef or chicken stock. It must be tasty, so try it before making saffron risotto. If necessary, season with salt. When the stock boils, reduce the heat and hold at a gentle simmer covered with a lid. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion.
- In a non-stick pan, simmer half the butter with the onion for 2 minutes on medium heat. Stir from time to time, till the onion is soft and traslucent. Now add the rice and cook for 2 minutes, always stirring, till the grains are slightly glassy.
- Then add the white wine, stir and let it evaporate, over high heat. If you don’t like the acidity that releases the white wine, do not add it and go to the next step.
- Add the hot broth one ladle at a time. At first, there will be a sizzle: part of the stock, in contact with the hot pan, evaporates. Then immediately add another ladle. During cooking, the rice must always be covered with broth. In this way it releases the starches and the grain does not break.
You do not have to use all the stock. Just what you need. Simmer the broth over a low heat with the lid on. When you see that the risotto is drying out, add a ladle or two of hot boiling broth.
The stock must be at the level of the rice: not too little, which you struggle to stir it, nor too much because you run the risk of the boiled rice effect.
How long does it take for a perfectly cooked rice? For Carnaroli rice about 14 minutes, plus 3 for creaming. So let it cook over medium heat and stir occasionally until ready. - While risotto is cooking, crush the saffron threads between two sheets of parchment paper. Then dissolve the powder in half a ladle of hot stock. After about 14 minutes of cooking, the stock will be almost completely evaporated and the risotto is almost ready, so turn off the heat.
Now with the heat off, add the saffron and mix thoroughly. Saffron is thermolabile, that is, it loses its aroma if it remains in contact with heat for a long time. For this reason it’s better adding it to the risotto just after removing it from the heat, stirring well until it is evenly distributed. - Finally, add the butter (the other half).
- Then add the grated cheese. Now stir. Parmigiano must be grated on the spot, with the grater.
Parmigiano is not minced in the blender, it’s not used if it has been grated for some time and it’s not bought already grated.
It must be absolutely fresh and of excellent quality. Like the butter. This is the secret of the perfect creaming.
Saffron risotto is ready, creamy but al dente. Serve immediately.
Just store saffron risotto closed in an airtight container and placed in the refrigerator, for a maximum of two days. Freezing is not recommended. You can use saffron risotto leftovers to make delicious arancini!
The dry white wine that you add to the rice, must be at room temperature. Instead the stock must be boiling, in order not to slow down the cooking.
Use a high quality rice, possibly Carnaroli: it has a nice elongated and rather large grain. Among its qualities there is the percentage of starch which is very high (12-14% of normal rice up to 22-24% of carnaroli). So it keeps cooking better and releases a lot of starch giving the dish a natural creaminess.
When on the rice box it reads “cooking time: xx minutes” it means for boiling rice. When calculating the cooking times of the risotto, the 3 minutes of creaming must also be included. So, if you cook the rice for 18 minutes, the heat should be turned off after 15 minutes and then add 3-4 minutes for creaming (steps 5-6-7).
How to Serve Saffron Risotto?
Once ready, the risotto should be served immediately, otherwise you would risk bringing to the table an overcooked risotto (cooking would go on for as long as it’s left to rest).
You can serve it with many dishes: in addition to the typical combination with Ossobuco alla Milanese, it’s also excellent with mushrooms, in particular porcini mushrooms, sausages but even shrimps and other seafood.
Milanese Risotto with Marrow
This dish, typical of northern Italian cuisine, in the authentic recipe includes the use of beef marrow. Not all the people like it in fact this ingredient usually is optional. Risotto Milanese with marrow is naturally much tastier, usually served with Ossobuco.If you want to make saffron risotto with marrow, you can use it in place of butter or add it cut into small pieces just before the end of cooking.
Vegetarian Saffron Risotto
The traditional Italian saffron risotto recipe wants beef or chicken stock. If you are vegetarian you can make it with a vegetable stock. The flavor is less rich but it’s good all the same.Without the addition of cheese and using extra virgin olive oil in place of butter, you will eat a great Vegan Saffron Risotto.
Reference:
https://www.recipesfromitaly.com/saffron-risotto-recipe/
Risotto alla Salsiccia con Radicchio di Treviso - Italian Sausage Risotto with Treviso Radicchio
Ingredients:
- 360 g (13 oz) of Carnaroli rice
- 250 g (9 oz) of mild Italian sausage
- 1 small onion or 1 shallot
- 2 treviso radicchio
- ½ cup (80 ml) of dry white wine
- 1 liter of vegetable broth made with our recipe
- 30 g (1 oz) of butter
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons of grated parmigiano reggiano or grana padano
- fine salt
- First of all remove the sausage casings then cut it in small pieces. In a large pan, brown the sausage in 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- Stir and cook all sides and when ready (about 3/4minutes) remove the sausage with a slotted spoon and put it aside in a plate. Now finely chop the onion and let it simmer in the EVO oil and the sausage fats for 1 minute.
- Meanwhile cut treviso radicchio then add it to the onion soffritto and let it cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Now add Carnaroli rice and let it toast for 2 minutes. Keep stirring.
- Add the white wine and let cook on high heat till absorbed. Then add the 3 or 4 ladles of vegetable stock, until cover the rice. Cook for 15-18 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally and, if necessary, add a ladle or two of stock.
- Let absorb all the stock and add salt if necessary. Don’t overcook the rice and the best way to not do it is to taste it frequently, so to be sure to add one more ladle of stock or not. When risotto is cooked al dente, turn off the heat then add grated parmigiano and butter.
- Stir and mix then add the sausage and stir again. Serve Italian Sausage Risotto with Treviso Radicchio hot with the addition of grated parmigiano cheese according to taste.
Reference:
https://www.recipesfromitaly.com/italian-sausage-risotto-with-treviso-radicchio/
Risotto con Gorgonzola, Pera e Noci - Risotto with Gorgonzola, Pear and Walnuts
Ingredients:
- 350 g (about 12 oz) of Carnaroli rice
- 1 little onion
- 1 Williams pear (or the quality you can find)
- 200 g (7 oz) of gorgonzola cheese (the sweet quality)
- 10 shelled walnuts
- 100 ml of dry white wine
- 1 liter of vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 60 g (about 2 oz) of unsalted butter
- 100 g (3,50 oz) of grated Parmigiano
- Are you ready to learn how to make Risotto with Gorgonzola, Pears and Walnuts? Well, let’s get start then! Begin preparing a vegetable stock, then chop coarsely the walnuts and set them aside. Finely chop the onion and place it in a pan with 30 g butter and 2 tbs of extra virgin olive oil.
Cook it for 2 or 3 minutes then add the rice. Toast it for a few minutes, stir then add the white wine and let it evaporate. - As the rice dries out, add gradually a ladle of stock at a time, until completely cooked (about 15-18 minutes). Meanwhile, peel the pear, remove its seeds and cut it into small pieces. Take off the gorgonzola crust and cut it into small pieces as well.
- About 5 minutes before the risotto is ready, add gorgonzola and pear. When the risotto is ready, turn off the heat and add chopped walnuts, grated Parmigiano and the remaining butter. Stir very well and serve immediately.
https://www.recipesfromitaly.com/risotto-with-gorgonzola-pear-and-walnuts/