Risotto on the water. Homemade risotto – a taste of Italy with your own hands. Recipes, secrets and gourmet tips: how to cook risotto at home. How to cook risotto with pumpkin

The classic risotto recipe is one of the most popular dishes in Italy, which has become widely known throughout the world. Despite the clear sequence of steps and the unchanged key components, there are a lot of variations in risotto. Therefore, everyone can choose a recipe to suit their taste.

The first written mentions of this dish date back to the 16th century, when about a thousand risotto recipes were found in the book of the famous cook Bartolomeo Scappi. And the world owes the appearance of such an unusual method of cooking rice to a forgetful cook. He was preparing ordinary rice soup with meat broth and went away for a while. When I returned, the broth had boiled away, and the rice acquired a pleasant taste. The dish was later improved by adding wine, cheese and spices.

Classic recipe with white wine

For risotto, it is customary to take one of three starchy varieties of rice: arborio, carnaroli or vialone nano. It is this component - starch - that gives the dish its creamy texture.

Oil for frying should be creamy, but it is also acceptable to use vegetable oil: olive, pumpkin, sunflower. The wine is up to you, but Pinot Grigio is usually recommended.

Particular attention should be paid to the broth. It should be very hot, almost boiling. Traditionally, they use beef, but depending on the filling, they use broth with chicken, vegetables, fish, or just add warm water. When it comes to cheese, Parmesan is traditionally used. Then there is no need to add salt to the rice.

So, the ingredients for classic risotto: 1 onion, butter cube - 30 g; rice above the above mentioned varieties – 350 g; wine – 400 ml; ready broth – 1 l.

Dissolve a piece of butter in a thick-walled bowl, then fry the finely chopped onion until light.
Place the rice and wait until it absorbs the oil and loses its whitish color.
Pour out the alcohol and cook the rice until the moisture has almost completely evaporated.
Add 300–350 ml of hot broth and continue to simmer, remembering to stir.
When the moisture has evaporated, start adding broth a tablespoon at a time so that the rice absorbs the liquid little by little. This step will take 20 to 30 minutes.
Check the readiness of the cereal and throw a piece of butter into it.

Before serving, place the dish on a plate and sprinkle with grated cheese.

Cooking option with chicken

Two servings of this dish can be prepared in just an hour, but the pleasure from the taste will remain for a long time.

Ingredients: a glass of rice, chicken fillet - 160 g, medium carrots, celery root - 90 g, large onion - 1 piece, garlic - 1 large clove, wine - up to half a glass, Parmesan - 50-60 g, olive oil - 30 –50 ml, spices (mix of peppers, salt, herbs) – at the discretion of the hostess.

Pour about a liter of water into the pan, add a little salt. Add chicken meat and diced carrots and celery. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat for 20 minutes.
After this, remove the meat and cool, and put the broth on very low heat.
Pour oil into a deep saucepan. When it is hot, throw in the garlic crushed with a knife, lightly fry until golden brown and remove.
Remove the peel from the onion, chop it finely and throw it into boiling oil. Cook until golden brown. Season with spices.
Add the rice and fry, stirring until it becomes translucent and pearly in color.
Add wine, continuing to stir.
As soon as the liquid is almost completely absorbed, you need to add 2 ladles of broth along with the vegetables.
Add the broth into the saucepan a little at a time and stir until the cereal is cooked (about 20–23 minutes).
In the meantime, cut the chicken into cubes and grate the cheese.

A couple of minutes before the end of cooking, add the chicken, add Parmesan, stir and turn off the heat. After a minute, the chicken risotto can be placed on the table.

Italian risotto with seafood

For this option you will need: seafood mixture “sea cocktail”, onion – 1 pc.; 160–190 ml of broth or clean filtered water, 70–80 ml of good dry wine, 80 g of rice, a little parsley, if desired, a mix of peppers, salt and cayenne pepper.

Heat the oil and distribute the finely chopped onion. Saute for about a couple of minutes over high heat.
Add rice and fry until translucent.
Add chopped parsley, followed by wine.
When the liquid is absorbed, add seafood and part of the water (broth).
Simmer the rice over low heat, stirring constantly.
Add broth as needed.
After 20 minutes, add freshly ground white pepper, a little salt and cayenne pepper.
Add the grated cheese and mix the risotto well.

This dish should be served on a warm plate so that the seafood risotto does not lose its flavor.

Cooking with cheese and mushrooms

Risotto with mushrooms and cheese has a special creamy flavor because a lot of butter is added to the dish.

Ingredients: 350 g of rice, chicken broth - 900 ml, mushrooms - 320 g, fatty oil - 170 g, half a glass of good dry wine, hard cheese - 100 g, medium-sized onion.

Cut the mushrooms into neat slices and fry until cooked.
Melt a stick of butter in a deep container, add onion pieces and fry until translucent for 5-8 minutes.
Add the rest of the butter and cereal and mix. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes, stirring vigorously.
Pour in the alcohol and wait until it evaporates. After this, add 300 ml of hot broth.
When this portion is absorbed by the rice, gradually add the remaining liquid, remembering to stir the dish.
As soon as the cereal becomes soft, add champignons and sprinkle with grated cheese. Mix well, distributing all the ingredients evenly, and serve immediately.

Vegetarian – with vegetables

For a classic recipe for risotto with vegetables, you need to take: a glass of rice, a small onion, carrots, 2 bell peppers, 100 g green beans, 100 g canned corn, olive oil - 3-4 tbsp. l., salt, hot water – 500–600 ml, wine – 50 ml, herbs.

Pour oil into a saucepan, add onion cut into half rings and diced carrots. Lightly fry.
Add rice and pour wine. Simmer lightly so that the grains absorb moisture.
Pour 200–350 ml of water into the pan and add the beans. Steam, stirring constantly, until all the moisture is absorbed.
Then add water little by little and stir.
At this time, core the pepper, cut into squares and add to the rest of the ingredients.
When the rice is cooked, add the corn and salt.

Before serving, the dish can be sprinkled with chopped herbs.

Tender dish with minced meat

Ingredients: canned tomatoes - 800 g, oil - 50 g, minced meat - 350 g, a glass of rice, wine - 100 ml, grated Parmesan - 90 g, spinach - a bunch, onion, salt and pepper to taste.

Peel the tomatoes and grind in a blender along with the brine. Transfer to a small container, pour 3 tbsp. water, bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.
Dissolve the butter in a thick saucepan, add finely chopped onion and minced meat, add spices. Stir and fry for 5-7 minutes.
Add rice and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Pour in the wine and wait until it is absorbed.
Add 2-2.5 cups of tomato mixture one at a time and stir. Pour in each new portion when the previous one has completely evaporated. If the rice is damp, add more liquid.

All that remains is to add grated Parmesan, butter and chopped spinach. Mix well and serve.

In a slow cooker

Ingredients: 400 g chopped chicken, 150 g chopped champignons, 2 multi-cups rice, 50-60 ml wine, 35 g butter, 25 ml vegetable oil, 1 small onion (chopped), a pinch of salt, a little turmeric, 4.5 multi-cups water , 100 g Parmesan.

Set the “Frying” mode. Pour vegetable oil into a bowl and add 1/3 teaspoon of butter. Do not close the lid.
When the mixture is hot, add the onion. At this and subsequent stages, the products must be stirred so that they do not stick or burn.
After 3 minutes add mushrooms.
After another 7 minutes, add the chicken.
Another 7 minutes will pass - it’s time to add rice. Wait 3–4 minutes.
Then you can pour in the wine and wait until it is completely absorbed.
After that, all that remains is to add salt, turmeric and water. Close the lid and set the “rice/cereals” mode.

After 25 minutes, it’s time to turn off the multicooker, add the cheese and the rest of the butter, mix everything and let the dish sit for 5 minutes with the lid on. During this time, you can have time to set the table and warm up the plates.

Recipe with added pumpkin

Ingredients: rice – 200 g, pumpkin – 200 g, broth – 1 l, 50 ml wine, onion – 1 pc., Parmesan – 100–150 g, butter – 50 g, rapeseed oil – 3 tbsp. l., mixture of peppers, salt, fried bacon.

Peel the pumpkin and cut into squares. Finely chop the onion, grate the Parmesan, grind the pepper. Cook the broth in advance and heat to 80–90°C.
Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan with a thick base or a deep saucepan and place the pumpkin. Fry until golden brown.
Add onion, stir and cook until soft.
Add rice and stir again. Wait until the oil is absorbed, pour in the wine and steam the ingredients well until the moisture is absorbed.
Then pour in the broth, 50–100 ml at a time, and constantly stir the risotto. Add the next portion of liquid when the previous one evaporates.

As soon as the rice is cooked, remove from the heat, add Parmesan, add pepper and salt. Stir well and leave for 2-3 minutes with the lid closed. This original version of risotto is best served hot, garnished with slices of golden brown bacon.

With corn and peas

Ingredients: rice, canned corn and peas - 150 g each, celery root - 1 pc., onion - 1 pc., refined sunflower oil - 2 tbsp. l., salt – ½ tsp, spices (oregano, basil, marjoram) – 1 tsp, ready-made broth or water – 300 ml, garlic – 1 clove, grated Parmesan – 20 g.

Heat the oil in a frying pan, then add finely chopped onion, garlic and celery.
Sauté vegetables for 3-4 minutes.
Add rice and fry for another 5 minutes.
Add 100 ml of broth and simmer the rice until the liquid is absorbed.
Gradually add the rest of the broth, remembering to stir.
Add corn and peas, add salt and spices.
Simmer until the rice is completely cooked. Before serving, sprinkle with Parmesan.

With shrimp and salmon

Ingredients: salmon (fillet) – 150 g, peeled shrimp – 20–25 pcs., rice – 1 tbsp., garlic – 2–3 cloves, butter – 10 g, olive oil – 50 ml, onion – 1 pc., salt and pepper - to taste, parsley - a bunch, saffron - a pinch, wine - 50 ml, water or broth - 2 tbsp.

Cut the fish into small pieces, chop the onion.
Place oil and garlic in a frying pan and fry lightly. After this, remove the garlic. Add onion and fry until golden.
Add rice and wine, stir.
After 1-2 minutes you need to add 1.5 cups of hot water or broth.
When the liquid has evaporated, pour in the remaining 0.5 cups. Add fish, shrimp, salt and pepper.

Once the rice is completely cooked, you can chop it with chopped parsley and add saffron. All that remains is to mix the dish well and let it simmer under the lid for 1 minute.

With cuttlefish ink

Ingredients: shallots, rice – 180 g, cuttlefish – 1 piece, cuttlefish ink – 5 g, olive oil – 50 ml, cherry tomatoes – 50 g, squid rings – 50–60 g, sea salt – to taste, fish broth – 400 ml, wine – 50 ml.

Fry finely chopped onion in oil for 2 minutes.
Add rice and simmer for 5 minutes.
Pour in the wine and wait for it to evaporate.
Add a glass of hot broth and cuttlefish ink. Cook rice for 10–12 minutes, stirring.
Separately fry the cuttlefish pieces and combine with rice.
Add the remaining broth to the pan, add salt and pepper and evaporate the moisture.
At this time, fry the tomato halves and squid rings.

Serve: Place rice on a warm plate and top with tomatoes and squid.

How to beautifully serve a dish to the table

Usually properly prepared risotto looks very appetizing in itself. Therefore, you can simply serve it in a deep or flat plate, preheated in the oven. If desired, the rice can be placed in a special form so that the edges of the portion are even. If there are no molds, then the dish is compacted into a small bowl and then turned over onto a plate.

On top of the risotto you can decorate with fresh sprigs of herbs, pieces of vegetables, meat, seafood or grated cheese.

There are several versions of the origin of risotto. It is not known for certain who and when the recipe was invented. It is generally accepted that risotto originated in northern Italy.

Many restaurants around the world offer a classic risotto recipe with chicken, seafood, vegetables or mushrooms on their menu. The simplicity of the technique and available ingredients allow you to prepare haute cuisine at home.

Risotto looks festive and can decorate not only an everyday dinner table, but also become the highlight of a holiday menu. Risotto can be not only a classic one with chicken, but also a lean, vegan dish with vegetables.

Vialone, carnaroli and arborio are suitable for preparing risotto. These three types of rice contain a lot of starch. It is better to use olive oil during cooking.

The classic and most popular recipe is chicken risotto. In order for the risotto to acquire the desired structure, the rice must be stirred periodically during cooking.

This simple recipe can be prepared every day for lunch or served on a holiday table.

Ingredients:

400 gr. chicken meat;
200 gr. rice;
1 liter of water;
50 gr. parmesan cheese;
2 onions;
1 carrot;
100 gr. celery root;
1 bell pepper;
30 gr. butter;
90 ml dry white wine;
1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
saffron;
Bay leaf;
salt;
pepper.

Preparation:

Prepare the broth. Place chicken meat, previously stripped of film, into the water. Add bay leaf, onion, carrots and spices. Cook the broth for 35-40 minutes. Then remove the meat, add salt to the broth and cook for a few minutes under the lid.
Cut the meat into medium pieces.
Pour the broth over the saffron.
In a hot frying pan, combine butter and vegetable oil.
Place finely chopped onion in the pan and fry until translucent, do not fry.
Do not rinse rice before cooking. Pour the cereal into the pan.
Fry the rice until it has absorbed all the oil.
Pour in the wine.
When the wine is absorbed, pour in a cup of broth. Wait until the liquid is completely absorbed. Gradually add the remaining broth to the rice.
After 15 minutes, add the meat to the rice. Strain the saffron through cheesecloth and pour the broth into the rice.
When the rice reaches the desired consistency - hard on the inside and soft on the outside, add salt to taste and add grated cheese. Place small pieces of butter on the surface of the risotto.
Serve the dish hot so that the cheese does not have time to harden.

Risotto with mushrooms and chicken

This is a common way to prepare risotto. The harmonious combination of chicken and mushroom flavors gives the rice a delicate, spicy aroma. The dish can be prepared with any mushrooms and served for lunch or a holiday table.

Ingredients:

300 gr. chicken fillet;
200 gr. mushrooms;
1 cup rice;
4 cups broth;
1-2 tbsp. l. dry white wine;
2 tbsp. l. butter;
1 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
2 onions;
100-150 gr. parmesan cheese;
salt;
pepper;
parsley.

Preparation:

Melt the butter in a cauldron or deep frying pan.
Cut the mushrooms into small pieces. Cut the fillet into slices or separate it into fibers with your hands.
Fry the mushrooms in a frying pan until golden brown. Add the chicken to the mushrooms and fry for 15 minutes.
Place the chicken and mushrooms in a separate container. Pour vegetable oil into the pan.
Fry the onion in vegetable oil for 5 minutes.
Pour rice into the pan, fry for 5-7 minutes, mix thoroughly.
Add dry wine and salt, simmer until the liquid evaporates.
Pour a cup of broth into the pan. Wait for the liquid to be absorbed.
Continue adding broth little by little.
After 30 minutes of cooking the rice, transfer the meat and mushrooms to the frying pan and mix the ingredients. Sprinkle risotto with grated cheese.
Decorate the finished dish with herbs.

This is a popular recipe for rice with vegetables among lovers of light, vegetarian cuisine. To prepare the lean version, vegetable oil is not used, and lean cheese is added, during the preparation of which no rennet of animal origin was used. For the vegetarian option, vegetable oil and water are used.

Cooking time: 1 hour.

Ingredients:

1.25 liters chicken broth or water;
1.5 cups rice;
2 stalks of celery;
2 tomatoes;
1 sweet pepper;
200 gr. zucchini or zucchini;
200 gr. leek;
dill and parsley;
4 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
half a glass of grated cheese;
salt;
pepper;
Italian herbs.

Preparation:

Pour over the tomatoes first with boiling water and then with ice water. Remove the skin.
Cut the vegetables into equal-sized cubes.
Place a frying pan on the stove, pour in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.
Place celery and bell pepper in the pan. Fry for 2-3 minutes. Add the squash or zucchini and sauté.
Place the tomatoes in the pan and simmer with Italian herbs and pepper for 5-7 minutes.
In a second frying pan, saute the leeks for 2-3 minutes. Add rice and fry for 3-4 minutes.
Pour 1 cup of broth over the rice. Cook over low heat, stirring. When the liquid has evaporated, add another half cup of broth. Repeat the process 2 times.
Add stewed vegetables to the rice, pour in the last portion of broth, add salt to taste, add pepper and simmer until the liquid is completely absorbed.
Chop the greens.
Grate the cheese.
Sprinkle hot risotto with herbs and cheese.

Ingredients:

250 gr. rice;
250 gr. seafood to your taste;
2 cloves of garlic;
350 ml tomatoes, canned in their own juice;
800-850 ml of water;
1 onion;
4 tbsp. l. vegetable oil;
parsley;
salt and pepper to taste.

Preparation:

Peel and cut the onion into cubes, chop the garlic with a knife.
Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan and fry the onion until translucent.
Fry the garlic for 25-30 seconds along with the onion.
Place seafood in a frying pan and fry until half cooked.
Add rice to the pan. Mix the ingredients and fry the rice until translucent.
Place tomato sauce in the pan. Pour in a cup of water and cook the rice until the liquid evaporates. Gradually add water. Cook Italian risotto until al dente, 25 to 30 minutes.
Salt and pepper the risotto at the end, before the last addition of water.
Chop the parsley and sprinkle on the finished hot dish.

Risotto cooked in creamy sauce is a soft, tender dish. Porcini mushrooms, subtle creamy aroma and delicate structure of rice will make it a decoration for any table. Risotto cooks quickly; you can surprise unexpected guests with it, preparing an exquisite dish in a hurry.

Cooking time – 40 minutes.

Ingredients:

500 ml chicken broth;
150 gr. rice;
50 gr. porcini mushrooms;
150 ml cream;
100 gr. hard cheese;
20 gr. butter;
20 gr. vegetable oil;
salt to taste.

Preparation:

Place a pot of broth on the stove and bring to a boil.
Pour vegetable oil into a frying pan and fry the rice until golden brown.
Add a cup of broth to the rice and simmer until the liquid evaporates. Add broth as it evaporates. Cook rice this way for 30 minutes.
Fry porcini mushrooms in vegetable oil.
Add butter to mushrooms. Wait for the mushrooms to brown and pour in the cream.
Grate the cheese. Mix the cheese and mushrooms and cook the creamy sauce until it reaches the consistency of low-fat sour cream.
Combine the ingredients, mix and add salt to taste.
Simmer the risotto for 5-7 minutes.

Cooking secrets

Risotto is one of the culinary symbols of Northern Italy, like pizza and spaghetti. This dish appeared by chance, thanks to the absent-mindedness of the cook, who was preparing rice soup, but forgot about it, and all the broth evaporated. Surprisingly, the cook found delicious rice in the pan, like the most delicate cream, with pieces of vegetables and meat. The first recipes for Italian risotto appeared in the 16th century, and now there are about a thousand ways to prepare this dish. All of them are prepared according to the same scheme: rice is fried in oil with onions, filled with broth or water, stewed, then vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, meat or seafood are added to it, and the ingredients may change. Sometimes, for a creamy texture, grated cheese mixed with butter is added to the dish at the end of cooking. You don't have to go to Italy to try Italian dishes, you can do it at home! So, let's talk about how to cook at home.

The best broth for risotto

Italian housewives prepare risotto in a maximum of 20 minutes, but they prepare all the ingredients for the dish in advance, such as broth. Risotto can be cooked in fish, beef and vegetable broth, but classic risotto recipes use chicken broth, boiled in good water with vegetables and spices. The flavor of the chicken goes perfectly with the rice!

It is better to cook chicken in well-purified drinking water with the addition of carrots, onions, stalked celery, parsley root, green pea pods, leeks, juniper, white or black peppercorns. And of course, don’t forget about the bouquet garni, which includes three essential components - parsley, thyme and bay leaf, diluted with tarragon, basil, rosemary, thyme and savory. These seasonings can be added dried or fresh, and it is better to salt the broth with sea salt - it’s tastier and healthier.

The broth is prepared in the usual way: put the chicken in cold and lightly salted water, after boiling, reduce the heat, skim off the foam, add vegetables and spices and simmer for about 2 hours over low heat. 30 minutes before it’s ready, pour in a little dry white wine, and a couple of minutes before it’s ready, put bunches of greens into the pan. Then you need to cool and strain the broth. Using this recipe, you can also prepare broths from other products, just changing the cooking time, because vegetables and mushrooms cook faster.

Soft on the outside, hard on the inside

There are several hundred varieties of rice in the world, but only three varieties are intended for risotto - Arborio, Carnaroli and Vialone Nano. These medium-grain starchy varieties have a unique feature - they contain two types of starch. The starch on the surface becomes soft very quickly, so when cooked, the grains acquire a creamy consistency on the outside. The starch filling the core of the grain remains hard even after long cooking, so the rice turns out soft on the outside and dense on the inside. This is its highlight. Under no circumstances should you rinse rice before placing it in water, otherwise the surface layer will be damaged and you will end up with rice porridge instead of risotto. When choosing rice in a store, you can safely buy a package called “Risotto Rice.” Most likely, this is arborio, since other varieties are difficult to find in Russian stores. However, Arborio rice is very good and beautiful, looking like freshwater pearls. The quality of the rice is very important because it is what holds the dish together. By the way, about proportions - for 100 g of rice you need to take about 500 ml of broth.

A few words about products for risotto

The classic cheese for risotto is hard, grainy Parmesan or Grana Padano; the wine must be white and dry. It is recommended to use only butter, since risotto is a dish of the northern Italian regions, and olives grow in the south, however, in modern recipes it is allowed to use a combination of butter and olive oil. Naturally, the oil should have a fat content of 82.5%.

It is better to take yellow and white onions, not red; they should be cut very finely so that they do not introduce disharmony into the creamy consistency of the dish. Another important component of risotto is saffron. This ingredient is mentioned in recipes for risotto alla Milanese. You only need to purchase it in a store, and in its entirety, despite the fact that at the oriental bazaar sellers offer to buy a glass of saffron for 300 rubles. This should not be done under any circumstances, because the true cost of the spice is $10 per gram, and this gram will be enough for more than 40 risottos. To prepare the dish, use an infusion of saffron, for which several stamens are poured with hot broth and left for 30 minutes until the liquid acquires an orange tint. Another option is to dissolve saffron in wine.

Important points for preparing risotto

First, onions and other vegetables are fried in a frying pan until soft and transparent, but without forming a golden brown crust. Then pour in the rice and stir with the vegetables for half a minute, then pour in the wine, and the stirring process continues until the liquid is absorbed into the rice. Next, add one ladle of hot broth, while stirring the rice vigorously until it absorbs the liquid. When half of the broth remains, the main ingredient is added to the rice - saffron water, as well as mushrooms, seafood, meat or the necessary vegetables, then the broth is poured again in parts (while stirring). Exactly 17 minutes from the start of cooking, the frying pan is removed from the heat; it should remain completely undisturbed for 2 minutes so that the rice can rest and cool slightly. Finally, cubes of cold butter and grated cheese are placed on the rice, after which the risotto is well kneaded or shaken to distribute the butter and cheese evenly.

Constantly stirring the rice is an important condition for preparing the right risotto, and to make it work, prepare all the ingredients in advance, and then you won’t have to be distracted by onions or cheese. By the way, Italians do not add cheese to seafood risotto, believing that they do not go well together. You should be careful with salt and pepper when preparing risotto, since well-aged cheeses have a salty and spicy taste. Before cooking, taste the dish and, if necessary, add salt.

How to make risotto especially delicious: secrets from the chef

If you are making risotto with chicken broth, add a little tarragon to the pan while cooking the chicken, and dill is good for making seafood broth. These seasonings improve the taste of the dish and make the risotto incredibly fragrant. You can put the chicken soup set for broth in the oven for 5 minutes and then cook the broth from it, which will turn out strong, tasty and golden. The same can be done with vegetables for broth - keep them in the oven or in a hot frying pan until lightly charred.

It is better to crush the peppercorns before cooking, then the aroma will be especially bright. By the way, to make the broth low-calorie, it is recommended to cool it and skim off the congealed fat.

All products for risotto must be of the highest quality, so you should not use wine for the broth just because it turned out to be too sour, or add dried cheese to the rice.

Another feature of the dish is its versatility, because each Italian region cooks it differently, so there are many recipes for how to prepare risotto. Instead of dry white wine, feel free to add dessert or sparkling wines, replace classic hard cheese with soft or blue cheeses, and use creamy cheeses, cream or olive oil as a butter substitute.

Experiments with risotto

In ancient recipes for this dish one could find egg yolks, sausage, sugar, milk and bread crumb, but even now chefs like to experiment with risotto. For example, if you add green peas to a dish, you get a Venetian version. Some Milanese cooks fry onions and garlic with bone marrow, and during the Renaissance this dish was served with ox marrow, making risotto a delicacy.

With asparagus, artichokes, cauliflower, celery and zucchini it is considered a dietary dish - you can add lemon juice to it for piquancy and freshness. Risotto often becomes a filling for pies; it is also used as stuffing for tomatoes, eggplants and peppers, and it is also cooked in the oven as a casserole. Avocado, tomatoes, carrots, beans, sausages, cervelat and other products are also added to this dish.

Risotto can be prepared for dessert by boiling rice in milk or berry broth, and then adding fruits, berries, dried fruits and nuts to it. Sweet risotto with pumpkin, chocolate or chestnuts is very tasty.

Step-by-step risotto recipe

So, you've mastered the theory, now try making classic Milanese risotto with saffron and white wine. All details are described above, so the recipe is given without details.

Ingredients: chicken broth - 5.5 cups, risotto rice - 360 g, dry white wine - 120 ml, onion - 1 pc., butter - 30 g, champignons - 150 g, olive oil - 2 tbsp. l., Parmesan - 120 g, saffron - 1 pinch, salt - to taste, ground black pepper - to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Add saffron to the wine.

2. Bring the broth to a boil and cover with a lid.

3. Finely chop the onion, chop the mushrooms medium-sized and fry in olive oil until softened, this will take about 5 minutes. The onion should retain its color.

4. Add the rice to the onions and stir well for a minute.

5. Pour the saffron wine into the rice, reduce the heat and cook, stirring, until the rice has completely absorbed the wine.

6. Add one ladle of broth to the rice and stir again until absorbed. So pour in a ladle of broth until it runs out. On average, rice takes about 25 minutes to cook; when cooked, it resembles something between a second rice dish and rice soup from which all the liquid has boiled away.

7. Season with salt and pepper, add diced cold butter and grated Parmesan. Stir and serve.

Your family will certainly appreciate Italian risotto, and when you learn how to cook a classic version of the dish, pay attention to other risotto recipes, photos and descriptions of which are published on our website.

Risotto with porcini mushrooms

Mushroom risotto has an appetizing appearance and an extraordinary aroma. Cook 2 liters of chicken broth with carrots, onions and spices. Bring 60 g of dry porcini mushrooms to a boil in a glass of chicken broth and let them brew for half an hour. Chop the swollen mushrooms, strain the liquid, pour back into the broth and bring to a boil.

In 2-3 tbsp. l. olive oil, fry the finely chopped onion until translucent, add 300 g of arborio rice into the pan and fry, stirring, for 3 minutes. Pour in a glass of dry white wine and simmer while stirring for another 3 minutes. Place the mushrooms in the rice, pour in 2 more ladles of broth and cook until the liquid is absorbed. Gradually add broth and stir for 18-20 minutes. Remove the rice from the heat, let it sit for a minute, and then add 40 g of butter and 100 g of grated Parmesan. Serve the risotto on warm plates, garnished with fresh herbs.

Risotto with mushrooms, kale and bacon

Risotto cannot be cooked in water, but vegetable, meat, chicken, and fish broth is suitable - the richer it is, the richer the taste of risotto.

Risotto with asparagus and Parma ham

If the asparagus is not very young, cook it in boiling water for a few minutes before adding it to the rice. The remaining onion puree will keep well in

Risotto is one of the traditional dishes of Italian cuisine. In terms of its culinary significance, it stands on a par with other gastronomic heritage of this country - pizza, pasta, lasagna. Mentions of this dish date back to the 16th century, and today there are hundreds of cooking methods. But they all retain the basic cooking scheme, which distinguishes them from other rice dishes.

History of appearance

Today, cooking risotto at home in European countries is quite common. But this was not always the case, because this dish is relatively young. There are several legends about how this dish appeared. The most common and plausible of them is the story of the absent-minded cook. He was preparing rice soup for the reception, but got distracted and all the water boiled away. Worried that he would simply have to throw the dish away, he looked under the lid and was surprised to find tender, creamy rice with meat and vegetables in the pan. He served the dish in this form and surprised all the guests with its unusual taste. So, thanks to the absent-mindedness of the cook, we cook it at home and eat it in restaurants.

What is Risotto?

Risotto cannot be compared with porridge, rice soufflé, or pilaf - this dish has a completely different cooking principle. Whatever additional ingredients are included in the recipe, combine them together in a clear sequence. Rice is always first fried in oil, most often with onions. Then broth or water is added into it, portionwise. Each new portion is introduced when the previous one is completely absorbed by the grains. When most of the liquid has been used, additional ingredients are added to the rice: meat, vegetables, seafood, fruits, etc. Then the liquid chosen for the recipe is added again. As a result, if you follow the technology correctly, you should get a delicate, slightly creamy consistency and a rich, stewed taste.

How to cook Risotto correctly

Having found out what kind of dish this is, we move on to the secrets of its preparation. The most important thing is the right choice of rice. Only a few varieties are suitable for this dish. In our stores, the only suitable ones you can find are arborio, but in general, carnaroli and vialone nano are also suitable for cooking. The main feature of these varieties is the two types of starch included in their composition. The first, external, gives the rice softness and creaminess. The second is contained in the core of the grain and does not collapse even under prolonged exposure to high temperatures. Thanks to this, the hard core is preserved in each grain and the rice does not turn into a banal mush.

Another important criterion for how to cook Risotto at home correctly is the broth. You can use meat, fish and vegetables, but the most traditional option is chicken. If you want to get a beautiful and tasty dish, put the chicken soup set in the oven for five minutes. This way the taste will be more intense and the color will be golden. Choose well-purified water for broth. Don't forget about herbs and spices: celery, parsley, basil, thyme, rosemary and savory will come in handy. It is better to crush the peppercorns with a knife before adding them. You can also add onions, carrots, pea pods, and leeks to the broth.

A mandatory component of most cooking recipes is cheese. Traditionally, hard Parmesan is used, but other hard varieties can be used.

It is better to use butter for the dish, because this dish comes from those areas of Italy where olives were not grown. However, modern methods of making Risotto at home also allow the use of olive oil.

Wine is a separate point in the conversation about what risotto is and how to prepare it. The traditional option is dry white wine. But you can experiment by using semi-sweet and even dessert.

A few secrets of how to cook risotto at home

Never use poor quality products. Don't skimp on cheese. And you definitely shouldn’t use wine for this dish that you wouldn’t drink because of its excessive acidity.
The broth can be prepared in advance - this will significantly save time on preparing the dish.
It is better not to take red onions.
While adding broth to the pan, stir the rice constantly. It is very important!
Never rinse rice before cooking. Otherwise, you will not be able to achieve a creamy consistency.
Be careful with salt and pepper. Cheese, which is added to the dish at the very end, usually has a spicy and salty taste. This must be taken into account so as not to be spoiled by excessive saltiness.
Don't be afraid to experiment. Risotto is a dish that gratefully accepts various changes in composition. Today try a simple recipe for Chicken Risotto, tomorrow add milk and berries to the rice, the day after tomorrow add soft cheese and sparkling wine. This way you will get a new taste every time and will be able to surprise your guests and loved ones with culinary innovations.

Cooking recipes:

Having figured out how to make Risotto delicious, let's move on to recipes. There are several hundred of them, as we have already indicated. We have selected the most interesting ones.

Risotto with champignons

Grocery list:

1.5 l chicken broth
400g arborio rice
120 ml wine (preferably dry white)
150g champignons
120g parmesan
30g butter
1 onion
2 tbsp. olive oil
Salt, spices

Preparation progress:

Heat the broth well, almost bringing it to a boil. Chop the onion as finely as possible; its pieces should not disturb the creamy consistency of the dish. But the mushrooms can be cut larger. Heat a little olive oil in a frying pan. Add onion. Fry over low heat until soft. The color of the onion should remain the same; in this case, we are not achieving a golden crust. Add dry rice to the pan with the onions and stir. Fry for a minute. Pour in the wine quickly so that it immediately covers all the rice. Simmer until the liquid is completely absorbed. Add hot broth (1 ladle). Stir constantly. After the liquid is completely absorbed, continue to gradually introduce the broth. When half of the broth remains, add the mushrooms and continue adding the broth. At the end of cooking, add cheese and butter. Stir. Serve immediately.

How to cook risotto with pumpkin

Grocery list:

400g arborio rice
1.5 kg pumpkin
2 onions
200g bacon
150g parmesan
3 cloves garlic
1.5 l broth
Olive oil
Spices

Preparation progress:

Preheat the oven. Peel the pumpkin and cut into small pieces. Rub with spices. Bake in the oven until soft. Puree. Chop the onion, garlic and bacon. Fry the onion in a frying pan until soft, add bacon and garlic, add salt and spices. Add rice and fry for a few more minutes. Start adding the broth gradually. At the end, add pumpkin puree to the dish and simmer a little more. Finally, remove from heat and add grated cheese.

Risotto with berries

List of ingredients:

150 ml cream
25 g butter
200g arborio rice
500ml milk
250g berries
Sugar
Cinnamon

Preparation progress:

Take a saucepan and melt all the butter in it. Add dry rice and simmer for two minutes. Mix milk and cream separately and put on fire. Bring to a boil. Gradually add this creamy milk mixture into the pan with the toasted rice grains, stirring constantly. Add sugar. At the end, add half the berries and cinnamon, simmer for a few minutes. Serve warm with remaining fresh berries.

Risotto with squid

Grocery list:

500g arborio rice
300g fresh squid
200ml cream
2 tbsp. wine vinegar
500 ml fish stock
Leek
Garlic
Parsley
Lemon juice
Saffron

Preparation progress:

Heat up the broth. Fry the leek and garlic in a frying pan. They must retain their color. Next, send the squid there. In a separate pan, fry dry rice. You need to achieve a slight “glass” effect. Pour diluted wine vinegar into it. Next, gradually, one ladle at a time, add fish broth to the rice. Stir constantly! At the end, add squid with onions, pour in cream with saffron, add herbs. Simmer for a few more minutes. Season with lemon juice and serve!

The classic recipe for Italian risotto is a rice dish that is aromatic and satisfying. Make risotto with mushrooms, chicken, vegetables or meat. We have the best recipes!

Be sure that your loved ones will appreciate such a dish as risotto. The classic recipe, although not rich in ingredients, allows you to prepare a dish with a harmonious taste, in which there is nothing superfluous.

Chicken broth – 6 glasses;
Arborio rice – 400 gr.;
Dry white wine – 150 ml;
Onion – 1 pc.;
Butter – 50 gr.;
Champignons – 150 gr.;
Olive oil – 2 tbsp;
Parmesan cheese – 150 gr.;
Dry saffron – 1 pinch;
Salt and pepper - to taste.

Pour wine into a small deep container and add saffron to it. Mix lightly and set aside so that the spice gives its aroma to the wine.

Chicken broth, if it is cold or frozen, put on low heat and bring to a boil. When the liquid has boiled well, reduce the heat to low and cover with a lid.

Peel the onion and cut into small cubes.

We wash the champignons well and chop them too, but we do it a little larger.

Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Add the onions first and then the champignons. Roasting lasts approximately 5 minutes.

Now pour our rice into the same frying pan where the mushrooms and onions are fried, mix everything well several times.

Add wine to the pan, reduce the heat to low and wait until the wine is completely absorbed into the grain.

Using a ladle, pour some of our broth into the pan.

Please note that one ladle will be enough; you should not add too much, otherwise it will ruin the whole concept of step-by-step preparation of classic risotto.

When you notice that all the liquid has been absorbed into the rice, add another ladle. Don’t forget to stir from time to time so that all the grains are evenly saturated with the broth.

When we have run out of all the broth, and the rice has become more like boiled porridge, remove it from the heat and add finely chopped butter and finely grated cheese to the pan.

The classic risotto recipe involves stirring the dish very thoroughly before serving.

Bon appetit!

Recipe 2: classic chicken risotto

rice - 1 cup
chicken fillet - 2 pcs
onion - 1 piece
carrots - 1 pc.
salt - 1 tsp.

Onions and carrots need to be peeled and rinsed well under water. Preparing Risotto begins by cutting the onion and frying it over medium heat until golden brown.

It is better to cut the carrots into cubes, however, if you want, it is quite acceptable to grate them on a coarse grater. The carrots are placed in the prepared onion, and stirring slowly, they also need to be fried.

The chicken fillet is washed under cold water and cut into small cubes. This is easier to do if you freeze the meat a little. Then the cubes will be even and small. The fillet is added to the onions and carrots and simmered for several minutes.

The last thing to add to the risotto is rice. Before this, it is washed several times and discarded in a colander. Mix the rice with the remaining ingredients and then close the lid of the pan.

The risotto is simmered covered over low heat for about half an hour. When the fire is already turned off, it is better to leave the dish to brew for the same period.

You can serve risotto with finely chopped dill and tomatoes. Risotto - a classic recipe - done with chicken! Bon appetit!

Recipe 3: risotto with vegetables (with photos step by step)

A unique rice dish, prepared according to the same principle, but with different ingredients. This classic recipe for risotto cooked with vegetables.

Long grain rice - 1 cup.
Onion - 1 pc.
Vegetable set for risotto – 300 g
Water - 2 cups.
Salt - to taste
Vegetable oil - for frying

For risotto, you need to thinly chop the onion so that it is half rings or cubes.

Heat the frying pan and pour a little vegetable oil into it. When it boils, you can put all the onions in the pan. It must be fried until golden brown.

When the onion is ready, add vegetables to it. They need to be stewed a little, after salting them.

Semi-cooked vegetables will slightly decrease in volume and change color towards yellowish.

It's time to add the main component to risotto - rice. Some housewives are faced with the fact that the rice sticks together in the finished dish. There is a universal recipe where cereals are washed in seven waters to avoid this phenomenon. However, this is also not a panacea, because rice does not always meet the quality indicated on the package.

In order to get rid of the stickiness of rice for sure, you need to fill it with water, let it boil, turn it off and leave to rest for 5-10 minutes. Then the rice is discarded in a colander and washed. He needs to drain a little. But now the slightly swollen cereal can be added to risotto.

When all the ingredients are assembled, add a little more salt to the risotto and stir. The fire under the dish should be minimal. After 20-30 minutes, the fire should be turned off, and the risotto should sit for about an hour under the lid.

Recipe 4: classic risotto with cheese and mushrooms

1.5 tbsp. rice
300 gr. champignons
1 medium onion
80 gr. butter
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 liter of broth
0.5 tbsp. white wine
150-200 gr. Parmesan cheese
pepper
parsley

First of all, wash and cut the champignons into slices. Finely chop the onion. Ideally, for preparing risotto, it is better to use shallots (2-3 pieces), which have a delicate and delicate taste, but regular onions are also quite suitable.

Place a piece of butter in a frying pan and add a little olive oil.

Add the chopped onion and simmer over medium heat until it becomes soft and translucent.

Add chopped champignons or other edible mushrooms. It’s clear that the most delicious risotto is made with porcini mushrooms.

Simmer the onions and mushrooms for 5-7 minutes over medium heat. Lightly salt and pepper.

Add one and a half cups of round rice. Mix the contents of the pan well, the rice should absorb the fat. Lightly fry everything together.

Add white wine and stir. Boil everything together for a couple of minutes so that the alcohol evaporates.

Add two or three ladles of boiling broth. It can be chicken or mushroom broth. With mushroom broth, the risotto turns out to be richer in taste, but also darker.

Stirring, cook the risoto with champignons. As soon as the rice absorbs the broth, add a new portion. Rice should be cooked in sufficient liquid. Taste it and adjust the amount of salt.

After 20 minutes, when the rice is almost ready, add grated Parmesan cheese. Stir and cook for a couple more minutes over low heat.

Parmesan cheese gives risotto a special taste and delicate creamy consistency. Make sure that the risoto is not dry (add a little more hot broth if necessary), and that the rice is not overcooked.

Remove the very tasty and incredibly aromatic risotto with mushrooms from the heat, sprinkle with herbs and serve.

Recipe 5, step by step: risotto bianco with martini

Even though risotto bianco cooks quite quickly, you will need patience and maximum attention, because it needs to be constantly stirred and added liquid as it is absorbed. And, of course, the most important thing in preparing risotto bianco is good wine and real Parmesan, which will make the taste of your dish truly Italian.

chicken broth - 1200 ml
onion - 1 piece
olive oil - 2 tbsp. l.
ground black pepper - 0.5 tsp.
salt - 1 pinch
garlic - 2 cloves
celery root - 50 g
martini – 250 ml
butter - 100 g
Short grain rice – 400 gr
parmesan cheese - 100 gr

Recipe 6: risotto with raisins (step-by-step photos)

Arborio rice - 1 cup (rinsed)
Parsley - 5-6 pieces (sprigs)
Garlic - 2 cloves
Olive oil - 3 tbsp. spoons
Raisins - 100 grams (pre-soaked in cold water)
Broth - 0.5 Liters
Parmesan cheese - 50 grams
Salt - To taste
Sugar - To taste

Chop garlic and parsley.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and fry the garlic and parsley for 3-4 minutes.

Add the washed rice, fry together for 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Pour in the broth in small portions so that the rice has time to absorb it. All this is done on minimal heat. 5 minutes before the rice is ready, add the raisins.

Mix thoroughly and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Bon appetit!

Recipe 7: how to make risotto at home

rice - 200 g
broth - 500 ml
white wine - 50 ml
vegetable oil - 40 ml
butter - 25 g
onion - 1 head
spices, salt - to taste

For cooking you will need rice with a high starch content. In this case, rice was used for pilaf, but Arborio would be an excellent choice. White wine will add a slight sourness and pleasant aroma to the dish. You can use beef, chicken or vegetable broth. It should be moderately salty. The recipe uses a rich vegetable broth; to prepare it, carrots, onions, celery root, parsley root, ginger, parsley, and hot pepper are required.

You need to sauté the onion in olive or sunflower oil. It can be finely chopped so that each piece is the size of a grain of rice. You can also cut it into rings, heat it in oil until golden brown and remove. In this case, the onion will share its taste and aroma with the rice, but will not be noticeable in the dish.

You need to pour the rice into the frying pan and start stirring it continuously over medium heat. After the rice becomes translucent and the oil is evenly distributed over its surface, you can add wine. The wine must first be heated to at least 40 degrees so that the rice does not come into contact with the cold liquid.

Continuously stirring the rice, you need to evaporate all the alcohol over high heat, and then reduce it again to medium. White risotto. Spices should be added to the rice. This recipe uses salt, cardamom, marjoram, ground ginger, and pepper.

Now begins the most difficult stage of cooking, during which it is advisable to continuously stir the rice slowly. You need to pour the broth into the pan in small portions and let the liquid evaporate. The broth should also be hot. This will cook the rice slowly and release some of the starch into the liquid. When each grain of rice reaches al dente, remove the dish from the heat, cover with a lid and let rest for 3-5 minutes. There should be some excess liquid in the pan. After this, butter is added to the rice, and the risotto is thoroughly but gently mixed.

As a result, the rice will absorb excess liquid and will be wrapped in creamy sauce. It must be served hot, complemented with meat, seafood or vegetable salad. Risotto can serve as an excellent side dish; it combines the pleasant density of properly cooked rice and the tenderness of the gravy, and has an exquisite taste. The photo shows white risotto, complemented by a piece of fried rabbit and fresh vegetables.

Recipe 8: risotto with meat, vegetables and olives

rice preferably short grain
bouillon
Bell pepper
basil
olives
cream
olive oil
garlic

Pour in enough olive oil to coat the rice grains. Fry the garlic over medium heat. You can use onions instead of garlic, I just don't like them. They fried it and threw it away.

Pour the rice into the pan and mix it in the oil and fry for 3-4 minutes. Gourmets can add a little white wine for flavor. Unfortunately, I didn't have the rice I needed, so I had to use long grain rice.

The broth can be different, both chicken and meat.

Subsequently, cooking rice comes down to adding hot broth into a frying pan with rice in small portions as it is absorbed, stirring constantly. Keep the broth hot throughout the cooking time. Cook the rice over medium-low heat.

Add a pinch of fragrant basil to the rice.

While the rice is cooking, cut the ingredients that complement it. Sweet pepper.

Cut into cubes.

We also cut the meat. I had a ready-made piece of pork.

Some olives. Cut into quarters.

In total, the rice takes about 40 minutes to cook on average. 15 minutes before the end of cooking, we throw our peppers and meat into the pan. Mix.

Continue cooking, adding broth. We taste the rice closer to the control time. While the rice is cooking and the peppers are stewing, grate the cheese.

Pour heavy cream into the pan with the cooked rice and sprinkle with cheese. Leave in a hot frying pan. In principle, you can sprinkle cheese on the finished dish.

Place on a heated plate and add some greens. Serve with white wine.

Recipe 9: mushroom risotto with white wine (with photo)

Mushroom risotto is not vegetable pilaf, not porridge, and not just cooked rice. This is an incredibly tasty, rich, satisfying and enchanting dish. You can't walk past him and you can't look away from the plate.

Rice – 200 g
Mushrooms – 250 g
Broth (vegetable, chicken) – 1 l
Onion – 3 pcs.
Garlic – 1 clove
Dry white wine – 50 ml
Hard cheese – 50 g
Butter – 40 g
Olive oil – 1 tbsp.
Salt, ground pepper - to taste
Greens - to taste