Risotto Piedmontese Style

Risotto from Italy’s Piedmont region may well be the simplest version you’ve ever tasted. No complicated ingredients: you make it with stock, a splash of wine and a knob of butter. And stir in plenty of grana padano.

Method

First, bring approximately 1 liter of homemade vegetable stock to the boil. Meanwhile, peel 1 onion and finely chop it. Sweat it in a knob of butter (approx. 20 grams) in a pan. Add 250 grams of risotto rice, preferably carnaroli, and let it caramelize for about 2 minutes. Stir the rice occasionally with a wooden spoon so that it cooks evenly without burning. Mix the rice with half a glass of dry white wine and let the alcohol evaporate.

Then add the stock little by little while continuing to stir the risotto gently. Add another splash of stock whenever the rice starts to dry out. The rice should always remain covered by a layer of stock.

After about fifteen minutes, you can taste the rice; it should be perfectly cooked by then. The grains should be fairly soft and not too dry. Remove the pan from the heat and season the rice with 4 tablespoons of grated grana padano and a knob of butter. Stir well. Let the risotto rest for a few minutes and serve while still piping hot.

Title: Eating with Francis
Author: Roberto Alborghetti
Publisher: Kosmos
Price: €20.00