Arborio rice
|
166 g |
---|---|
Vegetable stock
|
600 ml |
Shallot
|
1 |
Garlic clove
|
1 |
Butter, room temperature
|
43 g |
Dry white wine (optional)
|
50 ml |
Cheddar cheese, grated
|
35 g |
Italian food is consistently ranked as the most popular cuisine in the world and you don’t need to look much further than the comforting risotto to understand why. As if through magic, short-grained rice is transformed from a basic ingredient into a creamy, luxurious, and mouth-watering bowl that trumps all other comfort foods, every time.
As quintessentially Italian as pasta, the recipe that most resembles the risotto we know and love today was penned in 1809 Milan. Today known as risotto alla Milanese, the recipe was for creamy yellow rice where saffron was added for its characteristic colour. From there, the dish quickly evolved into the countless varieties we know today.
Few things impress like a home-cooked meal and, with risotto being a literal labour of love, this dish is guaranteed to impress. Serve with a crisp bottle of bubbly prosecco or sparkling water with a twist of lemon as a non-alcoholic alternative.
Meat-based risottos pair well with an easy-drinking red wine like Chianti. Crisp whites or prosecco make for a perfect companion to vegetable, poultry, or seafood varieties. Sparkling water is also an excellent non-alcoholic alternative with the slightly bitter flavour working especially well with the typical richness of this dish.
Any rice that has an especially high starch content will work well. Popular varieties include Arborio (the most common and popular), Carnaroli (a plumper, larger grain) or Vialone Nano (a thicker variety that is less starchy).