Wild hop risotto

foraging - wild hops risotto

Enjoy this recipe for risotto con bruscandoli by Mario Matassa – it’s a fantastic way to use wild hops… Serves 2 Preparation time 15 minutes Cooking time 20 minutes Ingredients: • 180g risotto rice • a bunch of wild hops, roughly chopped • 1 small onion, peeled, finely chopped • 600-750ml vegetable stock • 30g Parmesan, grated […]

Risotto kits on test

Milan saffron risotto

Take the easy route to cooking a quick supper with Italy’s favourite rice dish. Italia! looks at some of the ready-to-make risotto kits currently on the market Risotto is a quintessentially Italian dish originating in the north of the country. It remains especially popular in these northern regions – such as Piedmont and the Veneto […]

Asparagus and egg risotto

Risotto mimosa

Mario Matassa shares his ‘risotto mimosa’ recipe. The dish is a staple of Italy’s Festa della Donna in March… Serves 4 Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time 20 minutes Ingredients: • 2 shallots, peeled, finely chopped • 320g risotto rice • 300g asparagus • 2 hard boiled free-range eggs • 1-1.5 litres of vegetable or chicken stock • […]

Arancini

arancini

Enjoy Mario Matassa’s easy recipe for arancini – delicious balls of risotto – they are a great way to use up leftovers… Serves 2 Preparation time 15 minutes Cooking time 30 minutes Ingredients: • 2 free-range eggs, beaten • 50g fine breadcrumbs • 350g cooked risotto • 125g fresh mozzarella, chopped into small cubes • a few […]

Milan’s saffron risotto

Milan saffron risotto

Fancy making a real saffron risotto (risotto alla milanese)? Mario Matassa shows us how. Remember that it should be creamy and soft, and each grain of rice should be separate but joined together by the sauce. Buonissimo!   Serves 2 Preparation time 10 minutes Cooking time none Ingredients: • 50g unsalted butter • 30g beef marrow • 2 tbsp […]

Parmesan, pea and asparagus risotto

The king of Italian cheeses, Parmigiano Reggiano’s heritage dates back 900 years! Parmesan, pea and asparagus risotto Serves 4 – Preparation 10 minutes – Cooking 30 minutes Ingredients 70g butter 1 onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed 1 stick celery, chopped 150g asparagus, chopped 300g risotto rice 200ml white wine 700ml vegetable stock 150g […]

4 Ways to Use Garlic

In her new book on the subject, Jenny Linford describes every imaginable way of cooking with garlic. Here we present four of her recipes with a distinctively Italian twist… 1. Grilled wild garlic mussels / Cozze grigliate all’aglio selvatico A rich, tasty way to serve mussels, this offers a great contrast of textures between the crunchy […]

Four ways to use Asparagus

It takes time and space to grow, and its season is short, yet there is nothing quite like the taste of fresh asparagus. Here are four ways the Italians use it to help herald the arrival of summer… 1. Toasted ciabatta with pea and asparagus purée Ciabatta con purè di piselli e asparagi Serves 2 […]

Risotto rice pudding with stewed plums

Risotto dolce con susine stufate Risotto can work as a dessert too. Here is a fantastic Risotto rice pudding with stewed plums, using seasonal fruit. ➤ Serves 2 ➤ Preparation 10 minutes ➤ Cooking 15 minutes 350ml milk 25g caster sugar 90g arborio or carnaroli rice 1 vanilla pod 75ml double cream 250g plums 1-2 tbsp water 3 amaretti […]

Pea, mint and mascarpone risotto

Risotto ai piselli, menta e mascarpone The pea, mint and mascarpone risotto is one of the great tastes of summer, and it works very well with this creamy cheese. ➤ Serves 2➤ Preparation 10 minutes ➤Cooking 20 minutes 150g peas, fresh or frozen 10 fresh mint leaves 500ml chicken or vegetable stock 1 tbsp olive oil 3 […]