Risotto Parmigiano Reggiano

Photo: Karl Vassallo

Ingredients

320 grams Carnaroli rice

700 mls vegetable stock

60 grams parmiggiano reggiano, grated

1/2 onion, finely chopped

knob of butter

extra stock

Preparation

Making the vegetable stock

Roughly chop 3 celery sticks, 2 medium-sized carrots and 1 large onion. Throw all ingredients in a large pan, add 2 litres of water, a bay leaf and bring to boil. Simmer for 40 minutes, uncovered. Using a spoon/sieve, remove the foam that rises to the top. When it’s done, add salt to taste and then remove from heat and pass through a sieve.

Preparing the risotto

Pour the stock in a pan and bring to boil. In the meantime heat some olive oil in another large pan and add the onion. Cook until transparent; do not let the onion turn brown. Add the rice and toast until rice is very hot. Test with your fingers (careful though!). When hot enough, add the boiling stock at one go. Mix gently, cover and cook on very low flame for 13 minutes.

It is important that the stock is boiling hot. Let the rice cook until the stock is absorbed. Taste the rice. If it is not ready and all the water has dried out, add some more boiling stock and let it absorb it again. Taste the rice again.

Remove from heat and add the butter and the cheese. Mix gently until the cheese and butter have melted. If it is too sticky you can add some extra broth for a creamier texture. Put the lid on and cover with damp cloth for 2 minutes. The flavours will mix and create a simple wonderful dish.

It can also be experimented with by adding an older type of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, extra stock for more creaminess and maybe some grated cinnamon mixed in with the cheese. This simple dish then becomes quite sophisticated.

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About

When it comes to risotto I’m a bit of a late starter. Since I grew up in Malta I had a broad Mediterranean diet and had experienced this classic Italian dish on occasions. My flatmate in Amsterdam, who is a big fan of this dish, cooked risottos fairly often yet its appeal never really stuck. I always thought it was a labour intensive dish, rather unappealing after a hard day at work. The need for precision and attention always meant that, given the choice, I’d take pasta over risotto any day.

Risotto is a dish that is often underrated and misunderstood. It is rich and creamy yet delicate and often lighter than pasta. With the addition of few ingredients you can create a diffusion of flavours with real depth. Its versatility makes it ideal as a gluten free, classic, store, cupboard, comfort food but it is also a dish that can thrill and impress. A risotto can be anything you want, convenient or complicated, quick or slow; but always one of the most satisfying dishes to cook and eat.

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