Risotti

Here I collect some risotto recipices.

1) Riso latte e zucca

For this risotto, mix a quarter of liter of milk and a quarter of liter of broth per person. Taste it and add salt if necessary (I usually find the American broth quite salt-less). Don't salt too much: contrary to the case of pasta (well, it depends if you cook pasta properly) the rice will absorb all the salt so it is easy to get too salty rice. You can also add some salt at the end of the cooking. Keep this composite warn but non boiling.

Cut onions or shallot (usually a big onions for three person or a shallot per person) in small pieces and a squash (100 gr per person) ìn small cubes. Warm up some oil in a pan (better if it non sticky) and add the onions till they'll be golden (medium fire). Then add the squash. When the squash is soft add salt and put half of it aside and mush the rest (you can use a mixer).

Now put back the soft cube of squash in the pan with a bit of oil and add the rice. The fire should be medium. Mix a bit and then add some white wine (I use beer if no wine is available). Stir till the wine is evaporate and the rice is golden. Now add all the mush of squash and a few spoons of the broth . Keep stirring and adding broth when necessary till the rice is almost cooked (just taste it, it should take 15-20 minutes). Two minutes before it's ready add butter and parmesan. Finish cooking and let resting it in the pan for a couple of minutes. If you like some sweetness, you can add some crumbles of Amaretti http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amaretti_di_Saronno

2) Risotto gorgonzola, pere e noci.

Warm some vegetal broth (and keep it warm). For this risotto you need 40gr or more of gorgonzola per person and some nuts (I like to put something like one twelth of pound per person, but you can put less). I would use three/four small pears for four people. The pear should be ripe but not too ripe otherwise the risotto could end up too acid. As before, cut the pears in small cubes and cook it in a pan with butter. When soft add a pinch of salt and sugar and mush up half of it. Now cook some onions or shallots as before, add the rice and the soft pear. Add a glass of wine and let the alchool evaporate. Then add the mush of pear and brooth, stirring and adding brooth to the pan when needed. Around 5 or 7 minutes before it is ready, add the gorgonzola cut in cubes and crumbled nuts. Parmesan and butter as you like right before the rice is "added to the dish" (according to a dictionary this means that you're done with cooking). Let rest a few minutes.

3) Risotto alle fragole e champagne

You'll need 400 gr of rice, 200 gr of strawberries, a bit less than 2 liters of vegetarian broth, a bottle of champagne or spumante or sparkling wine, a small onion or two small shallots.

I would suggest to prepare the risotto in not-sticky pan.

The more the strawberries are ripe the more they'll give a acidic taste to the risotto. Cut the strawberries in very small pieces and put them in a bowl. Then pour the champagne in the bowl till they are covered and let soak for thirty minutes.

Aside, keep the broth warm but not boiling.

Begin by cutting the onion in very small pieces and cook them in oil or butter till they are golden. Now add some rice (and some more oil if necessary). When the rice is golden too add some champagne (not too much, just to cover the rice) and stir at medium fire till most of the alcohol is evaporated.Then you pour the bowl of strawberries and champagne and when most of it is evaporated, add a few spoon of broth. The flame should be hot enough to let the broth boiling but not too hot so that the rice doesn't stick at the bottom. As soon the broth is evaporated add some more and keep on stirring and adding more broth till the rice is cooked. It usually takes 15-20 minutes since you first put the champagne.

Taste it before serving it and add some salt if necessary. Parmesan and butter as you like right before the rice is "added to the dish". Serve with a whole strawberry on top and a glass of champagne to show off.