Rice and risotto: basic recipe, ingredients, techniques, and... no, I am not going to tell you all the secrets!

Risotto, that marvelous thing that Italians do at best!
Secrets? Not so many, but still there are a few things to be considered.

First, we have to talk about the main ingredient, the rice.
Not any rice, of course, but which one is the best? There are different options, of course, but one thing has to be kept in mind. If the label says "risotto rice"... well, that's not enough!

There are four main categories for Italian rice, and they refer to the size ans shape of the rice itself.
Round rice: It is short in size and round shape, it cooks fast and it is used for desserts and soups. Varieties of round rice: Americano 1600, Balilla, Rubino, Ticinese, among others. Not suitable for for risotto.

Medium rice (or semi-fine grain): it is medium in length and in size, and it is used to boiled rice, and for pies. Varieties of medium rice:  Italico, Lido, Padano, Vialone. The Vialone variant, the Vialone nano, due to its versatily is also used for the preparation of the risotto.
Long grain rice B (or fine grain): it is long and large in shape, it has a high resistance to cooking. It works well for risotto is suitable for risotto and other similar preparations. Varieties of long grain rice type B: are Ribe, S. Andrea, Emerald, Vialone. Depending of the variants, Vialone can be considered either semi-fine or fine rice.

Long grain rice A (or super-fine): it has very long and large grain, it is extremely resistant to cooking, adn it is the best for risotto and similar preparations. Varieties of super-fine rice are Arborio, Baldo, Carnaroli, and Rome. Carnaroli is considered the best due to its low degree of stickiness and high capacity of resistance to cooking.

So, to make risotto, start making a soffritto. I use a pan, add a small amount of extra virgin olive oil.
Ok, let me stop here for a second: butter or extra virgin olive oil? 
Answering to that question will have to consider at least three different things: 
a) the recipe you are using: there is a famous line in Italy that divides the peninsula according to the type of fat most frequently used in cooking and recipes coming from different regions may call for either butter or extra virgin olive oil.
b) the ingredients you are using: mainly what kind of broth (meat, vegetable, fish) are you going to used to prepare your risotto. If you are planning to use plain water, then consider the other ingredients: fish or seafood would prefer olive oil, vegetables can go with either one. In a perfect world, my personal rule would be not to mix vegetable and animal fat.
Have you ever wondered why in Italy they never bring you cheese with your seafood pasta? Now you know why. Moreover, keep this in mind when we will talk about the mantecatura.

c) your own taste... since you are in charge it's your call!

Let's go back to the soffritto: anything can be used to make the taste base for your risotto. The most common base for the soffritto would be finely sliced onion or shallot (yes, they are two different things: one is round the other is elongated) or even garlic but you'd better be careful with garlic.
The finer you slice your ingredients for the soffritto, the more perfumed it will be, the coarser you will slice them, the stronger taste your risotto will have.
So, again, it's your call. I prefer the right balance between smell and taste, but that might just be me.
When the, let's say extra virgin olive oil, is warm enough (not sizzling, of course), add the base for the soffritto. At this point, the soffritto has to sweat, wither, and wilt. To do this, I usually use white wine, not too dry. Rise the flame so that the alcoholic content evaporates and you are ready to go.

Adding the rice, marks the second step of preparing risotto the tostatura. Literally that means that you have to toast the grain but wait a second... let's understand properly this step. I have read so many times that you have to brown the rice... oh well, let's try not to exaggerate. What you have to do is to coat well and uniformly the grain with the soffritto.

And third stage is on its way, the actual cooking of the rice.
Coking risotto requires constant attention and dedication. The risotto wants you to stay there looking at it, stirring from regularly, and adding liquid. What and how much liquid, though?
What liquid? Some kind of stock or broth, any kind I would say, as long as it is not store bought. as anything else in the kitchen, preparing stock or broth, just requires some planning, it is not as difficult as it sounds (I promise I will post something on that soon).
If you don't have any broth or stock, just use plain water, and you'll be fine. Just be honest to yourself and to your guests.
How much liquid? The most important thing is that the boiling should never be stopped. Add liquid till the rice is covered and stir regularly.

The rice usually cooks in 15 to 18 minutes depending on the variety of grain being used.
One or two minutes before it is done, it's time to do the last touch.
First, turn off the stove (if you are using a gas stove) or take it out the burner (if you are using an electric stove) and let the risotto to rest.
If you want to proceed with the mantecatura this is the time. Add half a spoon of butter and a couple of spoons of grated hard (Italian) cheese, stir and let stand for the remaining of the time.
Risotto is served hot, right from the stove, with a large spoon.
Some recipes call for the risotto all'onda (meaning like a wave = onda) which means that it has not absorbed all the liquid. What makes the risotto creamy is the combination of the starch released by the grain during the cooking, and the fat content of the liquid. Most of the times the mantecatura covers the imperfections of the cooking process adding extra creaminess.
One day you will get there and you will see what I mean. Just keep trying.

To this basic recipe, any other ingredient can be added but it will be added at different stages of the cooking process, added to the soffritto or during the actual cooking of the rice, depending on the cooking times of the ingredients you have chosen.

Risi e bisi... a peas risotto, or almost!

Peas are finally here!

Peas are one of the first fruits of the garden after winter!
If you were born in the Northeastern part of Italy, you know what I am talking about. If you weren't ... don't worry, you can always try this recipe.

Let's talk about ingredients.
Peas... as fresh as possible and yes, with the pods, please! I would say a pound of peas in the pod is good for 3.

Shell the peas, clean the pods taking out the top and the bottom of the pods, and remove any lateral filament. Put the pods in cold water, add salt, and bring to boil. Once it starts to boil, let simmer for 25 minutes. Let it cool down and then with an immersion blender, puree the pods. Filter the puree, and don't worry it comes out watery. Remove any filaments you may find.
Now, let's go cooking the risotto.
Traditionally, vialone nano should be used but any other rice for risotto (carnaroli, arborio, roma to name those that can be found in the US: if you find baldo buy it and call me!) is fine, as long as it is for risotto. How much rice? I normally use 1/4 cup per person.

Chop finely half of an onion and a garlic clove.
In a pan put some extra virgin olive oil and when it's hot add the onion. Let the onion sweat and add some white wine. Simmer until onion is translucent. Add the peas, and stir gently.
Add the rice, and keep stirring so that the rice gets well coated (the so-called tostatura which, nonetheless does not mean you have to toast the rice!).


At this point, add the garlic, some chopped parsley, and some of the pods' puree and broth.
Preparing risotto requires constant attention on medium to high. Keep adding broth whenever it is necessary to keep the rice just under the liquid, and keep stirring.
Once it is almost done, you can add some butter and grated parmesan (the so called mantecatura).
The mantecatura adds that extra creaminess to the risotto, but believe me, if you do the tostatura right, and you cook the rice on medium high and you keep adding the pods' broth (or even water if your pods' broth runs out) and you keep stirring, your risotto will come out naturally creamy and just right!

A hint for this recipe. In Venice they usually prepare it all'onda. "What's that?" I hear you say.
 First of all, any risotto can be done all'onda, depending on your taste, of course. All'onda - which means wavy - implies that the rice has not absorbed all the liquid. It does not mean watery either: the liquid should be rich and full of the starch the rice released during the cooking process.
To reach the right point, you have to add the last ladle of broth one minute before the rice is cooked.
The mantecatura boosts the creaminess, but sometimes it "hides" or "covers" the wateriness of the risotto.
A small historical note on the dish. It was served to the Doge of the Serenissima Republic of Venice on April 25th, Saint Mark's day, to celebrate Spring.