Risotto alla milanese

A traditional dish from North of Italy, not only is risotto alla milanese simple and tasty but it is fast to cook, in fact we only need few ingredients. The main ingredient is saffron, a spicy product which makes the risotto yellow. Is in the beginning of the 19th century that the ultimate recipe appears in the books. This dish can be prepared with ingredients from Lombardy, we particularly suggest Azienda Agricola Collina D’Oro, a farm in Como which cultivates saffron. You can also add beef marrow (as in the traditional recipe) or simply use broth.

Ingredients – serves 4

400 g Carnaroli Rice
30 g beef marrow (you can add it as required)
2 small packets of saffron (in the traditional recipe saffron pistils are employed)
1 shallot
250 ml white dry wine
Beef broth as required
Butter as required
Grated Parmigiano as required

In order to make alcohol evaporate you can boil wine with high heat for 5 mins. If you want a stronger taste you can replace parmigiano with gorgonzola.

Traditional method for Risotto alla milanese

Brown shallot with low heat, butter and marrow. Employ a non-stick pan with high rims.
Pour rice in the pan together with a knot of butter. Toast the rice for a couple of minutes and deglaze it with white wine.
Meanwhile heat the broth. As it is hot, add a wooden spoon of it to the rice, stir and add it every time the rice dries.
Half way through cooking, melt saffron in a glass of broth and add it to the risotto. If you use saffron pistils, add the made water (without the pistils).
As the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and stir with a knot of butter and Parmigiano.
Serve the risotto as it is still hot. You can garnish with saffron pistils.