Hello foodies and Italy-lovers! Welcome back to Inevitaly ā a fresh take on all things Italian. Itās time to get in the kitchen and cook some delicious Italian food. Today weāre making one of my favorite, most comforting (and versatile) Italian dishesā¦il risotto.
The key to a good risotto is slow cooking
Before we dive in, make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel, sign up to our newsletter, and please...repeat after me: risotto! REEZ - OH - TOH. Riso in Italian means rice...Iām sure thatās not surprising.
Before we get cooking, allow me to share some interesting facts about this Italian classic. Did you know that risotto dates back to the 11th century? It originated in Northern Italy, in my home region: Lombardy ā so itās no surprise that one of the most popular risotti (thatās the plural of risotto) is āil risotto alla milaneseā made with saffron (zafferano) and originally from Milan, as its name suggests.
Risotto is traditionally cooked with special types of rice called Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano. These rice varieties have a high starch content, which gives risotto its signature creamy texture. Hereās my favorite Carnaroli rice available in the US: Acqurello ā what makes it special? Itās aged for at least a year, and sometimes up to 7 years!
Acquerello Cooking Rice (5.5 lbs)
Prized Carnaroli rice from Vercelli, in Piemonte. The best rice for preparing risotto. Preferred by chefs all over the world
However, the key to a good risotto is slow cooking. It requires patience and constant stirring, allowing the rice to absorb the broth gradually, resulting in a rich, velvety consistency. Other secrets to a perfect risotto are: Parmesan cheese (obviously) and butter. Weāll get to it!
Risotto is incredibly versatile. You can add various ingredients like vegetables, seafood, or truffles to create a wide array of dishes. You can even make risotto with fruit! Two of my favorites are āStrawberry risotto with balsamic vinegar reductionā and ārisotto with pears, Gorgonzola blue cheese and walnutsā....mmmm!). That makes risotto perfect for everyone ā including vegetarians ā and a great alternative to pasta. For a vegan risotto, you can get a similar level of creaminess using soy cooking cream instead of butter.
The possible combinations of ingredients are endlessā¦but I want to start with the basics. So letās see how to cook a classic, very simple risotto: il risotto agli asparagiā¦you guessed it right: thatās asparagus.
Ingredients for every risotto
Here are the ingredients you need for the base of practically every risottoā¦ For 2 people.
- The rule of thumb is about 80 g of Arborio or Carnaroli rice per person, so 160 g in our case
- 1 liter of chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- White wineā¦I picked a Pinot Grigio delle Venezieā¦but the amazing thing about risotto is that you can make it with prosecco, with champagneā¦the sky's the limit š„
- Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Extra Virgin Olive oil
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
- And in our caseā¦about 4 asparagus
How to make risotto
Step 1: SautĆ© the Aromaticsā¦aka make the āsoffrittoā
Just like all my favorite Italian first courses, letās start by making a soffritto. In a large pan over medium heat, pour the extra virgin olive oil. When hot, add the chopped onion and minced garlic, sautĆ©ing until they turn translucent. Then add the finely chopped asparagus and cook for another minute or two.
Step 2: Toast the Rice
Now, add the rice to the pan. Stir it gently to coat each grain with the oil and aromatics, toasting it for about a minute or until it becomes slightly translucent around the edges.
Step 3: Deglaze with Wine
Time to add that lovely white wine! Pour it into the pan, stirring continuously until the liquid is absorbed and the alcohol has evaporated. In Italian we call it āsfumare col vinoā. (Also, this is a great opportunity to test the wine...you know, for quality control reasons š)
Step 4: The Art of Stirring and Simmering
Here comes the fun part ā gradually add the broth, one ladle at a time. Stir the rice constantly, allowing each ladle of liquid to be absorbed before adding the next one. This process should take around 20 minutes, so grab a spoon and put on your stirring playlist!
Step 5: Creamy Bliss
Once the rice is cooked and has a creamy consistency, it's time to add the Parmesan cheese. Stir it in until it melts, creating a luscious, cheesy heaven. This is also a good time to season your risotto with salt and pepper according to your taste.
Just like with pastaā¦make sure you taste your rice. It should be āal denteā, meaning not hard to bite but also not smooshy. Thereās nothing worse than a smooshy risotto. Wellā¦raw risotto is probably worse. Donāt worry, this may take some practice, but youāll master your risotto cooking in no time, I promise. And at the end of the dayā¦feel free to serve it to your own taste (unless Italians are coming for dinnerā¦)
Step 6: A final stir with butter
Finally, we bring it all together with butter. Turn off the heat, add a couple teaspoons of butter and stir until fully absorbed. This procedure is called āmantecaturaā. It adds some final creamy and delicious texture to your risotto. Itās literally like a hugā¦thatās why I use my favorite Irish butter š
Ed ecco fatto, il risotto eā pronto! (By the way, in Italian āprontoā means āreadyāā¦not āquicklyā)
Creamy, flavorful, and absolutely comforting. Now that you know how to make the base of a risotto, here are a few ideas for you. You can use the same method but swap the asparagus for:
- Porcini mushrooms
- Saffron
- Sausage and radicchio
- Pumpkin
- Seafood
- Lemon and prawns
- And so onā¦there are so many recipes!
I know I mentioned meat, and I mentioned fruitā¦But PLEASEā¦just like with pasta and pizzaā¦keep the chicken AND the pineapple away! I know youāll ask me whyā¦and I donāt know how to answer that. Itās just like religion, have blind faith and abstain š
As always, you can find our shopping recommendations below, So you can get all the ingredients you need and get started on your risotto right away!
I hope you enjoyed today's recipe and Iām looking forward to seeing how your risotto turns out. Why donāt you send us some pictures on Facebook, Instagram or via email at ciao@inevitaly.com
Until next time! Arrivederci e buon appetito š
