Plain Risotto (Italy)

[Guest guest]

Plain Risotto (Italy)

 

 

12 to 15 tablespoons (3/4 to 1 cup) Piedmont or Patna rice,

quantity depending on number of servings

2 tablespoons best olive oil

2 medium sized onions, chopped small

about 1 1/2 (English) pints (20 fl oz) (570 ml) stock, preferably

chicken (style)

-OR- substitute a gill (5 fl oz) (140 ml) (vegan) white wine for

equal quantity of stock

pinch saffron

 

 

Heat the oil in a heavy pan, add the onion, chopped small, and allow

to cook until it is a golden yellow but not brown. Add the rice dry,

and cook slowly together for a few minutes, stirring with a wooden

spoon, until the grains are almost transparent. Now begin adding your

stock which is added in very small quantities a few tablespoons at

a time, and the risotto is stirred frequently to prevent sticking.

When the first instalment of the stock is absorbed, add the next and

so on until the rice has finished cooking, and most if not all of the

stock has been used. This should take from 25 to 30 minutes. Test the

rice and when it is tender and the dish looks creamy but is not

sticky, the risotto is ready for the table. The grains, though tender,

should still be separate. To give your risotto a truly Milanese

appearance it should be coloured a primrose yellow with saffron, at

the end of the cooking time. If you are using the filaments - take 2

or 3 of these, and having pounded them to a powder and allowed them to

steep 5 minutes or so in a little warmed stock, strain and add them to

the rice. If it is powdered, add it, small pinch by small pinch, until

the desired colour is obtained.