The Perfect Easy Risotto with Riso Gallo

I cooked up a risotto with my lovely guests as part of my Easy Risotto Cook Along with Riso Gallo. I made it versatile so people could add ingredients they had at home. We used Carnaroli as it’s a great choice for using different ingredients, and has a slightly higher starch content than arborio so leave a gorgeous creamy finish and the perfect al dente bite.

I chose to make pancetta and porcini mushroom risotto – one of my favourites! So the ingredients list you’ll see is for that, but I explain in the method when to add different ingredients so feel free to get creative with your dishes.

If you’re looking for even more risotto ideas use the recipe finder over on risogallo.co.uk or be inspired by budding young chefs at youngrisottochef.co.uk

Pancetta and Porcini Mushroom Risotto using Riso Gallo Carnaroli

Pancetta and Porcini Mushroom Risotto with Riso Gallo

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes | Serves: 3-4 (or two with leftovers) | Nutrition: 510 calories per serving

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Ingredients

• 300g of Carnaroli Riso Gallo
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small carrot, finely chopped
• 1 stick of celery, finely chopped
• 75g diced pancetta / bacon lardons or bacon
• 50g chestnut mushrooms, sliced
• Glass of white wine
• 20g porcini mushrooms, soaked and roughly chopped
• 1 litre of vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 tsp oregano
• 30g Butter
• 30g Parmesan, or alternative hard cheese
• Olive Oil

Method

1. Traditionally a risotto starts with butter, but because I’m adding pancetta I cook this off first and the fat from the pancetta helps flavour the risotto as it cooks, so I begin with pancetta in the pan on a medium heat for a few minutes.

2. When the fat is released add your soffritto ingredients of onion, carrot and celery. If you’re not using pancetta begin with 25g of butter or a good glug (1-2tbsp) of olive oil for your soffritto. You don’t have to use all three ingredients, you can just use onion or you can substitute celery for leek, or fennel, it’s up to you and with more confidence you can decide how you prefer your risotto. I also add oregano and season with salt at this point.

3. Once your soffritto has started to soften, add any other veg your including in your dish, so for me this was my chestnut mushrooms. If you’re adding anything that is pre-cooked like chicken, prawns or porcini, we will stir these in five minutes before the end, along with anything such as frozen peas or fresh spinach.

4. Once your veg has started to soften, increase the heat a little and add your risotto rice, we want to toast it a little and coat it in the lovely butter or olive oil from the pan, you can always add a little extra if needed. Don’t let the rice stick, keep it moving!

5. Next up, add your glass of white wine (or vermouth), alternatively add splash of stock and stir the rice until all the liquid is absorbed.

6. Then add about 200ml or a ladelful of hot stock to the pan and continue to stir, until all the liquid is absorbed, and again add 200ml of stock and keep doing this for about 10 - 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

7. Then add any of your ingredients like porcini mushrooms, chicken, prawns, frozen pes, spinach etc and continue to cook for a final 5-8 minutes until the rice is cooked al dente and you still have a little stock remaining with the rice. Taste and season if necessary.

8. Then add your grated parmesan and some butter (or olive oil if vegan), give a good stir, and place a lid (or plate) over your pan and allow it to rest for two minutes. This is called the mantecare ‘to stir together’

9. Plate up, top with parmesan and enjoy!

More about Riso Gallo

Riso Gallo is one of the oldest rice-growing companies in Italy.Riso Gallo started out back in 1856 with a factory in Genoa that processed imported paddy rice.

They have been making Italians happy for six generations. Riso Gallo’s mission is to spread the culture of rice and risotto throughout the world by using innovation that constantly adapts to the needs of the modern consumer.

Even if recently more exotic varieties of rice such as black Venus rice have been used to make risotto, great traditional Italian risottos normally use three specific varieties of great white rices.



Riserva Gallo Arborio

Derived from the older Vialone variety in circa 1946, the heat gently penetrates its long grains during cooking preserving the right amount of starch inside to remain “al dente” yet giving creaminess, which is needed to make it perfectly smooth.

Riserva Gallo Carnaroli

This variety has also been obtained from a series of crosses in 1945 and since then it has quickly become a favourite of Italians who love risotto because of its amazing ability to maintain its shape and flavour, and to blend perfectly with all types of ingredients.



Sustainablility

Riso Gallo is the first international Italian rice brand to have undertaken the production of rice from sustainable agriculture, making their premium best-selling risotto rices - Gallo Risotto Tradition, Arborio, Carnaroli and Carnaroli Rustico - fully sustainable. Plus also now in packaging suitable for recycling.

Find out more about Riso Gallo