How to make risotto: cooking and ‘ mantecatura’Īfter toasting it, cover the rice completely with simmering, hot broth – vegetable or meat broth, depending on the risotto you wish to prepare. Once toasted, add a glass of wine and let it evaporate for extra flavor. You can also toast the risotto with another fat like a sautéed onion (or shallot) and butter (or oil). You’ll know it’s ready by touching it with your fingers and smelling it the rice must be very hot and give off the scent of the grain. Continue stirring the rice with a wooden spoon and toast it for a few minutes.

Heat a large saucepan and pour in all the rice. The first fundamental step in making risotto is toasting the rice, which serves to make the grain more compact to prevent it from breaking as it cooks. And Volano, Roma, Baldo, Sant'Andrea… How to toast the rice for risotto Then there’s also Vialone Nano, a good alternative to Carnaroli. Arborio and Carnaroli rice are considered the best varieties. The last two sets are characterized by larger and tapered grains (and a better hold in cooking) because they cook more slowly and remain more al dente, so they are ideal for cooking risotto. Depending on the shape of the grain and the way it is cooked, the rice is divided into common, semi-fine, fine and superfine. There are many varieties and some are more suitable than others for preparing risotto. That’s why we want to review the fundamental steps for a risotto with you, so you can make it the right way as we do in the Bel Paese.

The main difference is that the second is a less popular dish, certainly more widespread in the culinary tradition of northern Italy and it’s a little more difficult to cook – because of its various stages of cooking that require attention and patience. Pasta and risotto are the two first courses par excellence of Italian cuisine, both very versatile with many different ingredients.

Classic italian cooking