Roasting, cooking, creaming: these are the three stages of preparing a risotto. Here's how to make these steps to bring Milanese risotto, but also sausage or parmesan
Pasta and risotto they are the first two par excellence of Italian cuisine, both very versatile, to be prepared with many different ingredients, but with the difference that the second is a less popular dish, certainly more widespread in the culinary tradition of northern Italy and a little more difficult to cook, due to the various phases that require its preparation and for its long cooking. It is therefore worth seeing together what are the fundamental steps of the preparation of a risotto.
Risotto: which rice to choose
Let's start from choice of rice. There are many varieties and some are more suitable than others for preparing risotto. According to the shape of the bean and the cooking properties, the rice is divided into common, semi-fine, fine and superfine. The last two sets are characterized by larger and tapered grains and a better seal in cooking because they cook more slowly and remain more al dente, therefore they are ideal for cooking risotto. Arborio, the Carnaroli, considered one of the best rice, Vialone Nano, a good alternative to Carnaroli, Volano, Roma, Baldo, Sant’Andrea.
Risotto: how to toast rice
The first fundamental step in the preparation of a risotto is the roasting rice which is used to give compactness to the grain and prevent it from breaking during cooking. So bring one wide saucepan, heat it and pour all the rice over it. Keep the rice mixed with a wooden spoon and toast it for a few minutes. You will understand when it is ready by touching it with your fingers and sniffing it: the rice must be very hot and release the aroma of the cereal. Roasting can also be done by adding a fat, or with an onion sauce (or shallot) is butter (or oil), and blending the rice, once toasted, with a glass of wine.
Cooking risotto: cooking and creaming
At this point the rice must be entirely covered with del hot broth that can be vegetable or of meat based on the risotto you want to prepare. During cooking, keep a moderate flame. The rice must always be completely covered by the liquid to ensure uniform cooking, therefore the broth must be continuously added, little by little and as it will be absorbed by the rice.
Cooking times vary according to the type of rice, but generally they are not less than 15-18 minutes. Once ready, the rice goes removed from the heat and stirred with a knob of cold butter and Parmesan cheese.
Risotto: how to prepare it first
Generally it is not done, because the best risotto is the espresso one, but if you want to go ahead with the rice preparation, proceed as explained above but stopping cooking a few minutes earlier, when the grain is chewable but still crunchy in the center. Roll out the rice in an airtight container to cool it and place it in the covered fridge. When you need to serve the risotto, put it back in the pot, add the broth, light the heat over medium heat, add any seasonings and cook keeping stirred. It will take you a few minutes and the rice will be ready. Keep out of the heat and serve.
Saffron risotto
The risotto par excellence is the saffron risotto. To prepare it, finely chop the onion and let it dry in a saucepan over very gentle heat with some butter. At this stage you can add ox marrow if you like. Add the rice and toast it on high heat for a minute, stirring. Then wet it with the white wine that you will evaporate. Pour the hot broth a little at a time, stirring occasionally. Cook the rice for about 16-20 minutes, according to the chosen rice, adding, halfway through cooking, two sachets of saffron. Salt if necessary. Remove the pan from the heat, add cold butter and grated Parmesan cheese and stir, stirring until the risotto is soft and creamy. Leave to rest for a minute with a lid then serve.
Sausage risotto
One of the most delicious risotto is certainly the risotto with sausage. Prepare it like this: sauté with a knob of butter and chopped shallots, then add the sausage into pieces, without casing, and brown it, mixing everything with a wooden spoon. Add the rice, let it toast for a few minutes and add some red wine. Proceed to cook the rice by adding hot broth as it is absorbed. Once cooked, remove from the heat and stir in butter and parmesan.
Risotto alla monzese
The risotto alla monzese it is prepared like the sausage one, only in the recipe we will use the luganega, a typical sausage from Monza and Brianza, a fresh sausage that looks like a long and narrow roll. It is light in color and its taste is sweet: it is made with pork, grana padano, marsala, meat broth and aromas.
Parmesan risotto
Another very tasty risotto, but also simple and that everyone likes is the risotto alla parmigiana. To do this, prepare a sauté with a little oil and the chopped onion, add the rice, brown it on a high flame, then blend it with red wine and continue cooking, stirring often and adding, a little at a time, some hot broth; after about 12 minutes, when the risotto is still al dente, add the diced scamorza cheese, melt it, then turn off, salt and stir in a knob of butter, a minced pepper and plenty of grated Parmesan. Let the risotto rest for a couple of minutes, then serve.
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