Pasta is popular both in the mainland and in other parts of the world, however, in Italy, there is another staple that is also popular, that is, Risotto, also called risotto.
Risotto comes from the Italian word "riso", which means "rice" in English, which means rice or rice. Rice has been one of the most common staple foods in Italy for centuries, and unlike steamed rice, risotto has a richer gastronomic meaning.
Risotto is an Italian dish made from rice that is cooked in broth and mixed with a variety of meats, vegetables, and spices.
Cook all the ingredients together until they reach a creamy consistency. Because the starch content in the rice is very high, the risotto ends up in the form of cream. So, it's also a secret not to rinse the rice before cooking (and not overdo it if you're going to rinse it). In addition, some of the basic ingredients include butter, olive oil, wine and onions.
Risotto is a traditional dish throughout Italy, especially in northern Italy. In Italian meals, risotto is usually prepared as the first course. However, in some cases, it can also be used as an accompaniment to meat dishes.
Commonly used rice varieties for Risotto are arborio, baldo, carnaroli, maratelli, padano, roma and vialone nano. The most common varieties in the recipe are arborio and carnaroli. Due to the difficulty of planting and harvesting, the price of the latter can be high. Other high-priced varieties are maratelli and vialone nano.
Of course, we must start with the main ingredient of Risotto, which is rice. According to Italian historians, italians have been growing rice since the Middle Ages, around the 1400s. Some even say that the earliest cultivation of rice was around the 10th century.
Regardless of the era in fact, most historians have reached a consensus that it was the Arabs who brought grain to Europe, especially Italy and Spain. Italian cereals first appeared in the south and only later reached the northern regions.
Ever since grain was introduced to Italy, growing rice has become an important part of many Italian family life, especially in the north. By the early 1900s, during the rice planting season, a large number of hired rice growers would come to work in the Trough region. Twelve hours of work, the workers would get a bag of rice. This ancient tradition can be seen in one of the most popular films of the 1940s, Riso Amaro.
There are many origins of Risotto, one of which goes like this: a glass-blowing apprentice named Valerius, who in 1574 added saffron spices to rice at a wedding banquet, and Risotto was born. In fact, the earliest mention of risotto was around the 1800s.
Recipes may seem complicated, but if you're experienced, you'll find them simple.
Here's a basic recipe for risotto
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Prepare the raw materials
1/3 cup rice
1 chopped onion
125 g butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 glass of red or white wine
1 liter broth or vegetable broth
Cooking guide
Place the onion, butter and olive oil in a pan and sauté for a few minutes until the onion is tender and slightly golden brown.
Add the rice and mix well. Make sure all the grains of rice are coated with butter and olive oil. This process takes a few minutes.
Then pour the wine into the mixture. Turn the heat to medium to low heat until the wine is absorbed by the rice. Wine adds a unique flavor to the rice.
Once the wine is almost absorbed, you can slowly add a small amount of broth. Stir until the broth is also absorbed by the rice.
Once the liquid in the pan is almost absorbed, the broth can be added again, taking a small number of times until the rice is cooked and the mixture is creamy.
Remove the pan from the heat and add a piece of butter and some grated Parmesan cheese. Let stand for a few minutes before stirring. Salt and pepper can also be added to taste if you need it.
Place the risotto on a plate and garnish with some Parmesan cheese.
Special note: The risotto that has already been prepared does not need to be reheated, and even if you add cheese and butter, the residual heat of the rice is enough to cook.
1. Avoid cooking rice paste
Although the ideal Risotto is creamy, it does not mean that the rice is cooked into a paste, it should be granular and retain its original shape, otherwise what is the difference between it and porridge?
2. Choose short grain rice
The ideal type of rice for risotto is short-grain rice. Because this type of rice has a high starch content, it can achieve the desired creamy consistency, which is why the most commonly used rice variety is arborio.
3. Choose the right wine
Although there is no limit to the variety of wines, choosing an inappropriate wine may affect the taste of risotto. Some wines with too strong flavors clash with other ingredients in the risotto, so if it's not a particular preference, try to choose a white wine with a milder taste.
4: Mix the rice well
This is an important step to ensure that the rice is adequately wrapped in grease (butter and olive oil).
5, do not put too much soup
If you put too much soup at once, the rice will take longer to absorb the soup, which will make your next steps troublesome. Also, do not use cold soups or frozen soups. Ideally, the soup is boiled at low temperatures. Add about half a cup of soup to the rice mixture at a time, and add a new soup after the added broth is almost absorbed.
6. Please follow the correct order
Cooking risotto is a bit like baking, and you have to be "step-by-step", especially when it comes to adding ingredients. If you just want to make simple risotto, follow the order above, but if you're going to add other ingredients, decide how long each of them will need to cook. For general vegetables, the rice is almost cooked and then added, so that it will not be overcooked. If it is some difficult to cook vegetables, you can cook them separately and then add them at the end. The same is true for meat or seafood.
There are also many varieties of risotto, in fact, there may be different risotto recipes in different parts of Italy, and some families have traditional recipes that have been handed down for generations.
Here are some of the popular types of risotto ↓
Milanese risotto
This is one of the most famous recipes in Risotto, but the protagonist of this risotto is not rice, but spiced saffron.
The popularity of Milanese risotto is so high that many people think of it for the first time when they hear Italian risotto. Not only that, but it is also the "golden partner" of ossobuco stew, one of Lombard's famous traditional meat dishes.
Mushroom risotto
There are also many different varieties of mushroom risotto, as there are many mushrooms to choose from. The most popular mushrooms in this traditional dish mushroom risotto are porcini mushrooms and button mushrooms.
Risotto with cuttlefish sauce
This is a traditional delicacy of the Veneto region, which is made with cuttlefish meat (including its ink) and therefore has a distinctive black color.
Pumpkin risotto
Pumpkin risotto is great for vegetarians, and its main ingredients are pumpkin, cheese and nutmeg.
Barolo red wine risotto
Barolo red risotto comes from the Piedmont region, with sausage stuffing, pineapple beans, and unlike other risotto using white wine, it is a red wine called Barolo.
The above is some of the gastronomic knowledge of Risotto
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