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Authentic Risotto Recipe
Lombardy, Italy
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We strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Risotto is a famous Italian dish consisting of rice prepared with a variety of ingredients, which usually include butter, olive oil, wine, flavored stock, onion, and Parmesan. The dish is generally made by sautéing some onion in olive oil and butter, then lightly toasting the added rice. Wine is added to the pan, and when it has evaporated, the warm stock is poured in, a ladle at a time, until the rice is cooked al dente. Finally, grated Parmesan cheese and some butter are vigorously stirred into the cooked dish. There are numerous versions of this creamy dish, such as risotto alla Milanese (traditional kind flavored with saffron), risotto al Barolo (made with red Barolo wine), seafood risotto, mushroom risotto, risotto primavera (usually made with asparagus, spring onions, shallots, peas, and broad beans), risotto al limone (lemon-flavored risotto), and risotto alla zucca (pumpkin risotto). Risotto is served hot, most often as a first ... Read more
Cooking tips
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rice
Use round medium- or short-grain white rice with high starch content. Plump and starchy types will provide the creaminess a good dish needs to have. Experts suggest choosing Arborio, Carnaroli, Maratelli, Vialone Nano, Baldo, Padano, or Roma rice. Don't rinse the rice before cooking because it will lose its firmness and become mushy when cooked. -
equipment
Opt for a cast-iron or stainless steel pan with straight sides. Don't use a wide pot because cooking rice in too thin of a layer will prevent the grains from bumping and grinding into each other, which will result in a scarce starch formation. -
method
First, make a soffrito using good-quality olive oil. Next, in the second step called tostatura (meaning toasting in Italian), add the rice into the pan, then stir to coat every grain with the oil and/or butter. If using, pour some wine over the rice, and once it evaporates, you can start to add the heated stock. A homemade or store-bought stock should be heated just below a simmer in a separate saucepan,... Read more -
stirring
Stir often, but not all the time. Mixing too much will make the dish sticky while mixing too little causes the rice to stick to the pan. -
variations
There are numerous versions of risotto, including meat, seafood, and vegetable-based options. Besides the traditional varieties, some of the popular combos to add to your risotto/to make your risotto with include turkey and leek, scallops and arugula, beet and ricotta, lemon and mint, cheddar and spring onions, and chicken with beans and kale.
Recipe variations
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Italian Academy of Cuisine's Risotto alla Milanese
Ready in 30minPublished by the Italian Academy of Cuisine, this is considered to be the go-to recipe for the signature rice dish of Milan. You can either serve it as a light starter or enjoy it in a more traditional manner — as a side dish to the famous ossobuco alla Milanese.
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Risotto Oro e Zafferano
Ready in 20minThis recipe is the creation of Gualtiero Marchesi, a renowned Milan-born Italian chef who is considered to be the founder of modern Italian cuisine. Apart from zafferano or saffron, his recipe also features oro, meaning gold in the form of an edible paper-thin leaf placed on top of the finished dish, which turns your risotto alla Milanese culinary presentation into a work of art.
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Risotto ai Funghi Porcini
Ready in 50minThe following recipe shows the classic porcini risotto preparation. It includes all the traditional ingredients, namely, Carnaroli rice, onion, butter, white wine, broth, and porcini mushrooms, of course. To make the risotto extra creamy, butter, Parmigiano Reggiano, and parsley are stirred into the still-hot dish. For garnish, a porcini mushroom cap is placed on top of each portion.
Risotto ai Funghi
PREP 15min
COOK 35min
READY IN 50min
The next recipe is adapted from the Memorie di Angelina website (www.memoriediangelina.com).
Ingredients
Risotto ai Funghi
500g (17.6 oz) risotto rice
250g (8.8 oz) fresh porcini or other wild mushroom, or 50g (1.75 oz) dried porcini
1 medium onion, finely chopped
white wine
Broth, either meat or vegetable, preferably homemade
100g (3.5 oz) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
butter and/or olive oil
Preparation
1
Risotto ai Funghi
Step 1/5
If you have decided to use fresh mushrooms, trim off their roots, clean any residual dirt, and cut them into strips. If going for dried mushrooms, soak them for approximately 20 minutes in lukewarm water, then drain them, reserving the liquid. Squeeze the water out of the mushrooms and chop them coarsely.
Step 2/5
Heat a knob of butter (or a blend of butter and olive oil) in a pan and sauté the onions until tender. Raise the heat and add the mushrooms, then cook for a few minutes, until the mushrooms soften and the liquid evaporates.
Step 3/5
Add the rice and let it absorb some flavor from the mushrooms and onion. When it turns chalky white, add some white wine, and let it cook off.
Step 4/5
Add the broth, a ladle at a time, constantly stirring over moderate heat (if you used dried mushrooms, add the preserved liquid together with the broth) and cook for approximately 20 minutes.
Step 5/5
Remove from the heat, top with some grated cheese, and if you wish, more butter. Stir energetically for a minute and serve.
Other Variations
-
Italian Academy of Cuisine's Risotto alla Milanese
Ready in 30minPublished by the Italian Academy of Cuisine, this is considered to be the go-to recipe for the signature rice dish of Milan. You can either serve it as a light starter or enjoy it in a more traditional manner — as a side dish to the famous ossobuco alla Milanese.
-
Risotto Oro e Zafferano
Ready in 20minThis recipe is the creation of Gualtiero Marchesi, a renowned Milan-born Italian chef who is considered to be the founder of modern Italian cuisine. Apart from zafferano or saffron, his recipe also features oro, meaning gold in the form of an edible paper-thin leaf placed on top of the finished dish, which turns your risotto alla Milanese culinary presentation into a work of art.
-
Risotto ai Funghi Porcini
Ready in 50minThe following recipe shows the classic porcini risotto preparation. It includes all the traditional ingredients, namely, Carnaroli rice, onion, butter, white wine, broth, and porcini mushrooms, of course. To make the risotto extra creamy, butter, Parmigiano Reggiano, and parsley are stirred into the still-hot dish. For garnish, a porcini mushroom cap is placed on top of each portion.
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