Description
Risotto in Italy is normally a “primo” (first course), served on its own before the main course.
Every Risotto dish follows the same standard procedure, which is basically the following: rice is first cooked briefly in a “soffritto” of onion and butter
(or olive oi)l to coat each grain in a film of fat, called “tostatura”; white or red wine is added and has to be absorbed by the grains. When it
has evaporated, the heat is raised to medium high and very hot stock is gradually added in small amounts while stirring gently, almost constantly:
stirring loosens the starch molecules from the outside of the rice grains into the surrounding liquid, creating a smooth creamy-textured liquid.
At that point it is taken off the heat for the “mantecatura” when diced cold butter is vigorously stirred in to make the texture as creamy and smooth
as possible. It may be removed from the heat a few minutes earlier, and left to cook with its residual heat. Properly cooked, this risotto is rich and
creamy with an intense scent of Vegetables, that you could bring out more intensely, adding some grated Parmesan Cheese, when serving.