Leftover risotto? Turn it into a pancake
A risotto pancake is crispy on the outside, consists of deliciously soft risotto on the inside and is incredibly easy to make. In Milan, risotto pancakes, risotto al riso, regularly appear on the menu. So you can easily turn that leftover risotto into a few pancakes, just like the Italians do.
The basis is, of course, the risotto. In Milan, they use a simple, creamy risotto for the pancakes, such as risotto alla milanese (with saffron) or risotto al Parmigiano (with Parmigiano Reggiano). If you choose a risotto with multiple ingredients, the pancakes will fall apart more quickly. Your risotto must be completely cooled, as the rice will continue to absorb moisture while cooling, thickening the sauce. So really use your leftovers.
How to make them
It’s best to make the risotto pancakes in a frying pan with sloping sides; you need to be able to get your spatula well underneath the pancake. The risotto pancakes will not form properly at first—there is no egg or binding agent in risotto. But keep at it. Flatten the risotto like a pancake with a spatula or the back of a spoon and then leave it alone. After a while, move the pancake back and forth in the pan to brown it evenly; eventually, the risotto transforms into a crispy pancake.
Then comes the most difficult part: flipping the pancakes to bake the other side just as crisp. The easiest way to do this is to slide the risotto pancake from the pan onto a plate or another flat serving dish. Place another plate on top and flip the pancake over. Then carefully slide the pancake back into the pan.
Have both sides of the pancake developed a brown, crispy layer? Garnish it with some grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Buon appetito! Oh, and if you have trouble making risotto, you can find how to always make perfect risotto here. Do you prefer risotto balls? Then turn your leftover risotto into Sicilian arancini di riso.
