italian food safari risotto recipe

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Food Safari's risotto alla Milanese

This risotto is made “all’onda” (in the ‘wave style’), which is typical of northern italy. it should take about 18 minutes to make from the time you start adding the liquid..

preparation

Ingredients

• 25 g unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
• 500 g carnaroli rice
• 1 g saffron threads, soaked in a little stock for 10 minutes
• 50 g parmesan, finely grated
• 200 g carrots
• 2 sticks celery
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 3 leeks, white part only
• 1 head fennel
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 golden French shallot, finely sliced
• 250 ml (1 cup) white wine vinegar
• 125 ml (½ cup) white wine
• 1 peppercorns
• 250 g unsalted butter, chopped

Instructions

Cook's notes.

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

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Risotto alla Milanese

Making Italian risotto is a brief exercise in patience that yields a wonderfully creamy, comforting result. This version owes its delicate flavor and golden hue to saffron.

Risotto alla Milanese is a classic dish from the Lombardy region of northern Italy. It's said to have come about in the mid-1800s, when a team of glassmakers took some of the saffron they were using to color the stained glass windows in Milan's Duomo cathedral and added it to the risotto being served at dinner. What started as a prank became one of the most iconic Italian plates. This version hews to the original.

Italian risotto may seem like a daunting endeavor, but with the right ingredients and technique, it's a dish that's easy to master and well worth the effort. Make sure to start with arborio rice, and don't be tempted to swap out the olive oil for butter. It's important to use warm stock to cook the rice and add it slowly. Take care not to overstir or overcook; the rice shouldn't take more than 20 minutes on the stove. Once it reaches al dente, remove the risotto from the heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.

Ingredients

5 1/2 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups arborio rice (10 ounces)

Pinch of saffron threads

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Diana Chistruga

Gather the ingredients.

In a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a simmer; keep warm.

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring to thoroughly coat.

Crumble the saffron into the wine.

Add the saffron and wine mixture to the rice.

Cook, stirring, until the wine is absorbed.

Add 1 cup of the warm stock and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until nearly absorbed.

Continue adding the stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, until it is nearly absorbed between additions.

The risotto is done when the rice is al dente and suspended in a thick, creamy sauce, about 20 minutes total. Season the risotto with salt and pepper. Stir in the cheese, butter, and parsley and serve immediately.

Suggested pairing

Earthy, medium-bodied Italian red.

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Risotto alla Milanese

Learn how to make the Italian classic Risotto alla Milanese (Saffron Risotto) and discover the simplicity of an age-old tradition.

List of ingredients.

• 2/3 LB. of carnaroli or arborino rice(superfino)
• 1 OZ. of beef bone marrow (optional)
• 1/3 CUP of unsalted butter
• 1/3 CUP of onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 CUP of dry white wine
• 2 PACKETS of saffron
• 1 QT. of beef broth
• 1/3 CUP of Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

Over very low heat, melt 1 1/2 Tbsp. butter in a saucepan and the bone marrow (if using). Add the onion and cook gently to sweat the onion, until soft and translucent for around 5 minutes. 

Add the rice and toast it over high heat for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Be certain that the rice and onion are well coated with the butter. Add the wine and let cook until it has almost evaporated entirely. Start to add broth in 1 cup increments. Let the rice cook away and absorb the liquid before adding more. Stir occasionally. With the second cup add the saffron and continue cooking in this same way. It should take a total of around 16-20 minutes, depending on how well done you want the rice. Salt as needed.

Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the remaining butter and the cheese. Mix well for a soft, creamy consistency. Cover and let sit 1 minute, then serve.

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Creamy Risotto alla Milanese (Saffron Risotto) Recipe

One of the most luxurious—and simplest—of risottos.

Serious Eats / Qi Ai

• Choose Your Rice

Rinse Rice With Stock (And Save That Stock!), Then Toast

Add onion, liquids, and saffron, then cover and cook, add more liquid and work in the finishers, why it works.

• Washing the rice with the stock creates a starchy liquid that delivers maximum thickening power during cooking, resulting in a creamier final dish.
• Preserving those surface starches, which would lose their thickening power during the toasting step if left on the rice, means less stirring throughout the process.
• Whipped cream worked in at the end enhances the texture and lightness of the risotto.

There are a lot of dishes that are made by transforming humble ingredients into glorious foods. Heck, that's what peasant cooking is all about. But I have to give special credit to the cooks of Milan and the surrounding region of Lombardy, because when they created risotto alla milanese, they took that idea a step further, recasting ordinary rice as one of the most opulent of dishes. Just consider its appearance alone—it's practically gilded. The metamorphosis, of course, is courtesy of saffron , the risotto's star ingredient.

Already I anticipate a rebuttal:  Bah! Saffron is worth more than its weight in gold! This is a luxurious dish by any standard!  And there's truth to that. Saffron, the threads of one particular type of crocus, has an extraordinary price due to the difficulty of harvesting it. I know the challenge firsthand, having once spent days on a farm  painstakingly plucking each crocus flower's measly three threads  (technically, the  stigmas ). I doubt I got even a quarter ounce by the end of it.

There's a flip side to this, though, which is that even in saffron-centric dishes like risotto alla milanese, you need only a couple of small pinches for the whole batch. I even have some of my original handpicked stash left—10 years later. I did the math during my testing for this recipe and concluded that I was using less than $5 worth of saffron for four full servings—hardly an amount that will break the bank. Ounce for ounce, saffron may be more expensive than gold, but it's practically weightless, which means that, for the home cook, it never comes close to costing all that much.

Assuming you're willing to invest in a small jar of saffron, risotto alla milanese is one of the simplest risottos to make. When done correctly, the finished dish will have that enchanting saffron aroma, and each grain of rice will be suspended in a creamy, daffodil-yellow sauce. Spooned onto a warm plate, it should gently collapse under its own weight, spreading out like a slow lava flow, neither thin nor clumpy.

Serious Eats / Vicky Wasik

The best way to make it, though, breaks just about every traditional risotto rule. It's a method  Kenji first developed and wrote about several years ago after rethinking the typical stand-and-stir process. It's also far easier.

Here's how to do it.

First, Choose Your Rice

A well-stocked Italian food shop will often have more than one variety of rice for risotto. Arborio is the most common, but two others you're likely to see are carnaroli and vialone nano. Kenji has written about these types of rice before in his risotto article (read it for a more in-depth discussion of their respective starch contents), but, while I've cooked with all of them before, I'd never done a true side-by-side comparison.

I decided to whip up batches of Milanese risotto with each type, keeping all the other variables the same, just to see how significant their differences are in practice.

The results? As with many things like this, they were mostly subtle. I was least happy with how the arborio rice turned out: It developed a slightly mushy texture toward the end of cooking, the grains becoming less distinct. The carnaroli and vialone nano both performed better in this regard, each grain retaining its clear form within the creamy sauce.

And that leads to the next difference that I found most noticeable: their form. The carnaroli rice is longer and slenderer, while the vialone nano is more squat and round; you can feel the difference in your mouth. Between the two, I liked those tubby little vialone nano grains more, but that's strictly a personal preference.

I also thought that  maaaaaaaaybe  the vialone nano created a slightly creamier risotto, but I wasn't sure. And if I couldn't be sure when tasting them side by side, I think we can safely conclude that it's not a particularly significant factor.

Right from the first step of this risotto recipe, you'll notice how we're deviating from tradition. Just to review, the age-old method is to sauté minced onion in butter or oil, then add the dry rice grains and toast them, then add the cooking liquids little by little while stirring very frequently until the risotto is finished.

Here, we first rinse the uncooked rice with the stock we'll later use to cook it. When we do that, we strip surface starches from the rice and collect them in the stock. What Kenji found when he ran his cooking tests was that the classic rice-toasting step did two things: First, it developed the flavor of the rice by making it taste nuttier. Second, it reduced the thickening ability of the surface starches on the rice—which, by the way, are the starches primarily responsible for thickening the risotto's cooking liquids.

This creates a dilemma. Those starches are most effective at creating the wonderfully creamy sauce for the rice grains before the grains are toasted, but toasting the rice grains is helpful for the dish's final flavor. The rinsing step solves this by separating the two, lifting the starch off the rice grains and setting it aside, conveniently, in the stock that will be used to cook the rice.

Once the rice is well drained, it's ready to be toasted in the oil. The slight dampness from the stock quickly cooks off, and the rice begins to sizzle and pop and smell toasty. The grains will also look like ice cubes: cloudy in the center, translucent around the edges.

After the rice has toasted for a good few minutes, it's time to add the minced onion and cook it for a minute or two, just until softened. Then, before it begins to brown, add dry white wine to drop the pan's heat, and cook it, stirring, until it's nearly evaporated. I've conducted  tests on wine in cooking  before and found that most of the rules you hear don't matter much, particularly the one that says you should cook only with wine you'd drink. The truth is, any dry white wine will work here, including wine that's many days old and well beyond something you'd want to sip.

With the wine mostly cooked off, you can add most of that starchy stock all at once, reserving a small portion for later. It's critical to make sure that all the rice grains are submerged, lest those clinging to the side of the pan not cook.

Along with the stock, add a couple of pinches of saffron and some salt. As soon as it comes to a simmer, lower the heat as much as possible, cover the pan, and leave it to cook until almost all of the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender. The total number of times you need to stir during this phase of the process: once, midway through.

That's a pretty fantastic improvement on the stand-and-stir method most recipes offer.

At this point, the rice is done and most of the liquid is absorbed. You should notice that the saffron has infused into the rice, tinting it yellow and flavoring it throughout. Now is the time to hit the risotto with the reserved starchy stock and stir it in—just make sure you give that stock a good stir first so that you don't leave behind any precious starch that's settled on the bottom of the container. This final addition of stock will help loosen the rice and give it a flowing texture, but it's possible you'll need to add more liquid if the rice soaks it up too quickly.

To finish the risotto, I stir in some butter, enriching the flavor and giving it a glossy sheen. Then I work in freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano off the heat, stirring rapidly to emulsify it. Risotto is a finicky thing, so you may find that it tightens up during these last steps. The solution is simple: Add more liquid as needed, either additional stock or water.

You could stop here and serve the risotto. But even better is to stir in a little whipped cream right before serving. It's a restaurant trick I picked up years ago, and it gives the risotto an unbelievably silky, creamy, and light texture. For any traditionalists who object, it's worth remembering that whipped cream is just more butterfat and water in an aerated form.

Go ahead and do it—this is one lily that gets better the more you gild it.

Recipe Details

Ingredients

14 ounces risotto rice ( 400 g ; about 2 cups), preferably carnaroli or vialone nano

4 cups ( 950 ml ) homemade or store-bought low-sodium  chicken stock  or homemade  vegetable stock , plus more as needed (see notes)

3 tablespoons (45ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion , minced (about 200g; 7 ounces )

1 cup ( 225 ml ) dry white wine

2 generous pinches saffron

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons (30g) unsalted butter

1 1/2 ounces ( 40 g ) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese , plus more for serving

1/2 cup ( 115 ml ) heavy cream , whipped to stiff peaks (optional; see notes)

Combine rice and stock in a large bowl. Agitate rice with fingers or a whisk to release starch. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer set over a 2-quart liquid cup measure or large bowl. Allow to drain well, shaking rice of excess liquid.

Heat oil in a heavy 12-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add rice and cook, stirring and tossing frequently, until all liquid has evaporated and rice sizzles and takes on a nutty aroma, about 5 minutes. Add onion and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until the pan is nearly dry, about 3 minutes.

Give reserved stock a good stir and pour all but 1 cup over rice. Add saffron and a large pinch of salt, increase heat to high, and bring to a simmer. Stir rice once, making sure no stray grains are clinging to side of pan above the liquid. Cover and reduce heat to lowest possible setting.

Cook rice for 10 minutes undisturbed. Stir once, shake pan gently to redistribute rice, cover, and continue cooking until liquid is mostly absorbed and rice is tender with just a faint bite, about 5 minutes longer.

Remove lid. Stir remaining 1 cup of stock to distribute starch, then stir into rice. Increase heat to high, add butter, and cook, stirring and shaking rice constantly until butter has melted and rice is thick and creamy; add more stock or water as necessary if risotto becomes too dry. Off heat, add cheese and stir rapidly to thoroughly incorporate. Fold in heavy cream, if using. Season with salt. Serve immediately on hot plates, passing more cheese at the table.

Special Equipment

Fine-mesh strainer , large sauté pan (about 12 inches wide)

Chicken stock adds a deeper, meatier flavor, while vegetable stock creates a lighter-tasting risotto; I recommend chicken unless you want to keep the dish vegetarian.

Whipped cream is not a traditional ingredient in Milanese risotto, but it adds an ethereal lightness and creaminess that's hard to top. Feel free to omit it.

• Perfect Risotto

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Risotto recipes

Risotto is an icon of northern Italian cuisine, stemming from the Mediterranean climate’s suitability for growing short-grain rice after it was introduced to the country in the Middle Ages. The rice used for a risotto should be semi-rounded, short-grain Italian rice; attributes perfectly suited to slow cooking, enabling the grains to slowly absorb the flavour of the liquid and release starch to create the classic silky smooth texture. Risotto rice is divided into four categories based on the length of the grain: commune, semifino, fino and superfino. Superfino is the longest of the four, and the most commonly used for risotto. Arborio rice, a superfino variety, is the most commonly used outside of Italy, while Carnaroli, Vialone Nano and Baldo are all routinely popular varieties used to create this quintessential Italian dish.

This collection of delicious risotto recipes includes secrets and tips from some of Italy’s best chefs. Francesco Sposito uses Vialone Nano rice to create his citrus-infused seafood risotto of Vialone Nano risotto creamed with lemon jam, raw prawns, clams and Bronte pistachio oil , while Emanuele Scarello adds drama to the dinner table with his striking Risotto with sabayon sauce, licorice powder and green asparagus , which is caramelized with a blowtorch just before serving . At the other end of the spectrum, Rosanna Marziale’s Risotto San Marzano recipe uses soft, white mozzarella to create a deliciously creamy risotto, while the Costardi Brothers’ Risotto with garlic and chilli recipe makes a fantastically simple vegetarian dish.

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Risotto Milanese

Risotto alla Milanese

Serves 6

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Risotto Milanese is a sacred risotto in Milan, and, as much as chefs generally like to change and create, with this recipe Italian chefs usually stick to tradition. It can be served by itself or with the ossobuco that was served at Felidia for our first ten years; still people ask for it. It was originally served with a long, thin marrow knife to remove the succulent marrow from the bone. For those who love Milan or have always wanted to visit that dynamic city, this dish will make you think you are there. It’s Italian comfort food. 

For the bone marrow, ask your butcher to get you some from veal bones, or to cut the femur bone into 2-inch pieces. Then, with a little knife, you can scoop around the marrow and pull it out. Keep the marrow chilled until you are ready to use it. The remaining bones are good for making stock.

Ingredients

• 8 cups homemade beef stock or canned low-sodium beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup minced onion
• 1/2 cup minced shallots
• 2 cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• Kosher salt
• 2 ounces beef marrow, cut into 1/4-inch pieces (optional)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Grana Padano

Warm the stock in a medium saucepan over low heat. Put the saffron in a small bowl, and ladle 1/2 cup hot stock over it.

Heat a shallow Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and shallots, and cook, stirring, until tender and almost golden, about 8 minutes. Add the rice, and toss to coat in the oil. Cook until the edges of the rice are translucent, about 2 minutes.

Pour in the wine. Cook and stir until absorbed. Ladle in enough stock just to cover the rice. Adjust the heat so the risotto is simmering, and cook, stirring constantly, until all the liquid has been absorbed. Continue to add hot stock in small batches (just enough to moisten the rice completely) and cook until each successive batch has been absorbed, stirring constantly, until the rice mixture is creamy but still al dente, about 18 minutes total. Add the saffron and soaking liquid about 10 minutes after you start simmering the rice. Season with salt.

Stir in the marrow, if using. Off heat, beat in the butter in teaspoon-size pieces, a few at a time until incorporated, add the grated cheese and mix until creamy, and serve immediately in shallow bowls.

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Risotto Milanese

This delicate, saffron seasoned risotto dish goes with just about any entree, but is traditionally served with Osso Buco in Milan as shown in the photo. The saffron has a delicate, subtle flavor that is delicious.

Buon Appetito! Deborah Mele 

A saffron flavored rice dish from Lombardia that traditionally is served with Osso Buco.

Ingredients

• 6 Cups Chicken Broth, Heated
• 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter (2 Tbsp Removed To Finish The Dish)
• 1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
• 2 Cups Arborio Rice
• 1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
• 1 Teaspoon Of Saffron Threads Soaked In A Little Stock
• 1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

Instructions

• Heat the 4 tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan.
• Add the onions and cook until they are translucent, then add the rice and stir until it is well coated with the butter.
• Pour in the white wine next, and stir continually over medium heat until it is absorbed.
• Start to add 1/2 cup of hot broth, stirring as it is absorbed.
• Continue in this manner, adding ladles full of hot broth, and stirring continuously for about 20-25 minutes or until the rice is cooked, but remains slightly firm to the teeth.
• About 5 minutes before completion, add the saffron.
• Remove from the heat, add the remaining butter and the parmesan cheese.
• Serve, offering additional cheese if desired.

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One Comment

This dish is one of my favorites from the italian cuisine but this is the best recipe I ever tasted,it is delicious!

Thank you Deborah,congratulations.

Best regards from Miami.

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• Main Courses

Saffron risotto

• Energy Kcal 626
• Carbohydrates g 68.1
•   of which sugars g 3.1
• Protein g 13.2
• Fats g 32.7
•   of which saturated fat g 18.94
• Fiber g 1.1
• Cholesterol mg 100
• Sodium mg 894
• Difficulty: Average
• Prep time: 5 min
• Cook time: 25 min
• Serving: 4 people
• Cost: Average
• Note + 1 night to infuse the saffron threads

PRESENTATION

Saffron is an ancient spice, already known in Egyptian times. At first it was only used to dye fabrics and make perfumes and ointments, but once its amazing culinary properties were discovered, it became a precious ingredient with which to make tasty dishes with golden hues, such as saffron risotto or pasta. This first course, in its simplicity, best enhances the aromatic qualities of saffron. But that's not all: with its strong coloring power, the grains of rice take on an inviting golden color that makes this dish so special. A little magic that, combined with the creamy touch of the final stirring technique, inevitable in the preparation of risottos, will result in a dish with a unique and unmistakable taste. And to make this dish even more captivating, you will be helped by Greek mythology that tells the legendary and hampered love relationship of the young Crocus, the seductive nymph Smilax, and the god Hermes, who, blinded by jealousy, transformed Crocus into a delicate saffron flower.

INGREDIENTS

How to prepare saffron risotto.

To make the saffron risotto , first put the threads in a small glass, pour just enough water 1 to cover them completely, stir 2 and leave to infuse overnight, this way they will release all their color. Next, prepare the vegetable stock. For this recipe you will need one quart. Peel and finely chop the onion 3 so it will dissolve while being cooked and not be detected when tasting the risotto.

In a large saucepan pour 1/4 cup (50 g) of butter from the total amount for this recipe 4 , melt it over low heat, then add the chopped onion 5 and let it stew for 10-15 minutes, adding some broth to avoid drying the sauté 6 : the onion must be transparent and soft.

Once the onion is stewed, pour in the rice 7 and toast it for 3-4 minutes, so that the grains will seal and keep cooking well. Sweat with the white wine 8 and let it evaporate completely. Now proceed with cooking for about 18-20 minutes, adding the stock one ladle at a time, as needed, as it is absorbed by the rice 9 : the grains must always be covered by stock.

Five minutes before the cooking time is up , pour the water with the previously infused saffron threads 10 , stir to flavor and dye the risotto to a nice golden color. Once cooked, turn off the heat, add salt 11 , stir in the grated cheese and the remaining 1/3 cup (75 g) of butter 12 .

Stir and cover with a lid 13 . Let it rest for a couple of minutes. At this point, the saffron risotto is ready 14 , garnish the dish with a few more saffron threads, and serve the risotto hot 15 .

Keep the saffron risotto, closed in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to two days. Freezing is not recommended.

The wine you add to the rice must be at room temperature, while the broth must always be boiling when added so as not to slow down the cooking process . Saffron risotto lends itself to be combined with many dishes: in addition to the typical combination with traditional Milanese ossobuco (cross-cut veal shanks), it is also excellent with mushrooms, generally porcini mushrooms, sausages , and scampi and other seafood as well .

Interesting fact

Saffron is the name given to the three saffron threads (more correctly called stigmas ) of a delicate wisteria-colored crocus flower, meticulously collected by hand. This explains why it is a rather expensive product, also called "red gold". The subtle threads with their pungent perfume and characteristic carmine color in infusion will release with all their intensity a unique flavor and color, a little magic that has always fascinated the people who have used this precious spice, so much that it is considered the "king of spices".

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If you're looking for a lively twist on pizza night, try our Easy Vegan Chili Pizza. It's spicy, flavorful, and completely plant-based, offering a exciting alternative to traditional pizza toppings. It sparks conversation and tastes as unique as it sounds. A wonderful way to spice up your mealtime. Get the Recipe: Easy Vegan Chili Pizza

Tuscan White Bean Skillet with Kale

Our Tuscan White Bean Skillet with Kale is as nutritious as it is delicious. This dish packs a punch with protein-rich beans and vitamin-packed kale, all seasoned with Italian herbs. It's a one-pan wonder that saves on cleanup and maximizes flavor. Great for a busy weeknight or a lazy weekend meal. Get the Recipe: Tuscan White Bean Skillet with Kale

Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta

For a dish that's both simple and stunning, try our Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta. Each bite is packed with the sweet and smoky flavor of red peppers. It's easy to whip up on a busy night and sure to impress. A vegan delight that comes together in minutes. Get the Recipe: Creamy Vegan Red Pepper Pasta

Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust with Garlicky Mushroom & Tomato Topping

Dive into our Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust topped with garlicky mushrooms and tomatoes for a low-carb indulgence. This pizza is not only delicious but also serves as a healthy alternative to traditional pizza crusts. It's crispy, satisfying, and packed with flavor. Making this pizza is as fun as eating it. Get the Recipe: Vegan Cauliflower Pizza Crust with Garlicky Mushroom & Tomato Topping

Italian Walnut Sauce Pasta

Our Italian Walnut Sauce Pasta offers a rich and earthy flavor that's typically Italian but pleasantly unexpected. The creamy texture of the walnut sauce blends perfectly with the pasta, making every forkful a delight. It's an easy choice for a unique meal that stands out from the usual pasta night. Enjoy the flavors of northern Italy right at your table. Get the Recipe: Italian Walnut Sauce Pasta

Minestrone Soup

Our Minestrone Soup brings a burst of Italian veggie goodness to your meal. It's rich, it's hearty, and it feeds the soul with each spoonful. Enjoy it as a starter or as a main with some crusty bread. It's a complete meal that brings comfort, especially on chilly days. Get the Recipe: Minestrone Soup

Copycat Olive Garden Ravioli Carbonara

Experience the joy of our Copycat Olive Garden Ravioli Carbonara without leaving your home. It's creamy, it's comforting, and mirrors the popular restaurant's famous dish. Perfect for when you're craving that signature Italian-American flair. Gather your family around the table and dig in! Get the Recipe: Copycat Olive Garden Ravioli Carbonara

Caprese Pesto Tarts

Our Caprese Pesto Tarts are a delicious way to start any meal. They're bright with the flavors of fresh basil pesto and ripe tomatoes, not to mention the creamy mozzarella that ties everything together. These tarts are as lovely to look at as they are to eat. They make a great appetizer or light meal. Get the Recipe: Caprese Pesto Tarts

Pasta Carbonara

With our Pasta Carbonara, bring the essence of Italian cuisine to your dining table. This dish features a creamy sauce and is perfect for those who love a rich, hearty meal. It's traditional and loved by many for its simple yet profound flavors. A timeless classic that never fails to please. Get the Recipe: Pasta Carbonara

Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta

Enjoy the comforting flavors of our Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta, a dish that's perfect for family dinners. It combines the sweetness of corn with the succulence of chicken, all enveloped in a creamy sauce. It's simple, satisfying, and a great way to round off a busy day. This dish is a comforting staple for any night. Get the Recipe: Creamy Chicken and Corn Pasta

The post 17 Italian Dishes That'll Have Everyone Begging for More! appeared first on Easy Indian Cookbook .

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Restaurants, Food and Drink | A twist on risotto uses farro for bigger oomph

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Restaurants, food and drink | tesla chops hundreds more bay area jobs as tech industry layoffs widen, restaurants, food and drink, restaurants, food and drink | tastefood: a twist on risotto uses farro for bigger oomph.

Farro, in contrast, is a hearty ancient wheat grain with a nutty, wholesome flavor. It holds its shape when cooked and is not prone to overcooking and creaminess, resulting in a comforting, toothsome dish.

Earthy mushrooms complement the rustic farro in this dish, adding rich umami flavor. You can use wild mushrooms, such as chanterelles or shiitakes, or cremini in a pinch. Sweet peas contrast and brighten the earthiness of the dish with color and pops of juicy sweetness. For the stock, use a good-quality chicken stock — or mushroom stock to amplify flavor and keep the dish vegetarian-friendly.

Farrotto With Wild Mushrooms and Peas

Ingredients.

4 cups chicken or mushroom stock

Kosher salt

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

8 ounces wild mushrooms, such as shiitakes or chanterelles, cleaned and trimmed (halved or quartered if large)

Freshly ground black pepper

2 shallots, finely chopped, about 1/4 cup

1 large garlic clove, minced or pushed through a press

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1¼ cups semi-pearled farro, rinsed

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup fresh cooked peas or defrosted frozen peas

1/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons chopped Italian parsley leaves

2 tablespoons chopped chives

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Bring the stock and 1 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a saucepan. Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a deep skillet. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and black pepper. Saute until the mushrooms begin to release their juices and brown in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Begin adding the stock, 1 cup at a time. Add the next cup when the previous liquid has been nearly absorbed, stirring occasionally, until the last cup has been absorbed and the farro is tender, about 30 minutes. (If needed, add a little more stock or hot water to achieve the desired consistency.)

Stir in the mushrooms, peas, cheese, parsley, chives and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and add more salt and black pepper to your taste. Ladle into serving bowls. Garnish with cheese and serve immediately.

Lynda Balslev is a San Francisco Bay Area cookbook author, food and travel writer and recipe developer.

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