Peruse the menu in most Italian restaurants and there is likely to be at least one risotto dish offered if not several. In fact, risotto has become so popular that many St. Louis restaurants are known for their exceptional risotto dishes. Although the success of risotto is somewhat new to those of us in America, Italians have been enjoying this dish for quite a long time. Different versions of risotto can vary from region to region throughout Italy.
It is believed that rice was introduced to Italy by Alexander the Great and to the rest of Europe by the Arabs in the eighth or ninth century. By the fifteenth century the Benedictine monks were carefully selecting the best seeds and starting extensive cultivation. The north soon became the center of Italian rice cultivation. Milan was the first area in the north to use rice as a complete dish and to this day the area just southwest of Milan called the Po Plateau is the largest cultivator of Italian rice. Because rice cultivation needs flat land and access to large amounts of water, the area around the Po River is ideal. The area is a fertile plain, with intersecting fields of rice divided by rows of poplars and embankments. It is said to be beautiful in the spring when the rice fields are flooded and mirror the mountains on the horizon.
Italian law requires rice to be divided into six different categories: Comuni, Semifini, Fini, Superfini, Parboiled, and Integrale. Each type of rice fits into one of these categories but the same rice can be in more than one category according to regional differences. Most Italian regions have traditional rice dishes but in Piemonte, Lombardia and the Veneto, rice is more important than pasta. There are also different varieties of Italian rice, which include Carnaroli, Vialone Nano, and Arborio. Carnaroli is most popular in Piemonte and Lombardia, while Vialone Nano is the preferred rice around Mantova, Verona, and Venice. Risotto is made from Arborio rice, which is rice of large tan grains with white dots in the center. When cooked correctly the finished dish will have a creamy, chewy texture. The word risotto is thought to have come from Lombardian dialect to describe a more compact rice dish.
Cooking risotto involves several steps. First, the Arborio rice is usually sautéed with onions in butter or olive oil. Hot broth is then ladled slowly into the rice, stirring constantly. The rice is allowed to absorb the liquid and the cooked rice should be firm, yet not clumpy or hard. To ensure a perfect risotto dish, keep in mind these tips while cooking risotto. Risotto should be cooked at the last moment or it will dry out. Re-heating risotto will cause it to become mushy and too soft. Have a pot of water handy in case you run out of broth. Use a heavy pot and keep your eye on the level of moisture, and use a ladle to pour the broth to control the amount you use.
There are endless risotto recipes available. I have included one that is probably the most popular throughout Italy and America and also some more regional Italian recipes. They can be served either as a first course or a main course. However you decide to serve risotto, enjoy this wonderful Italian culinary delight.
This article appears in March 2024.