Risotto Milanese

Saffron is an ancient spice, known since the time of the Egyptians. At first, it was used only for dyeing fabrics and for producing perfumes and creams, but once its culinary properties were discovered, it became a valuable ingredient used to create delicious dishes with golden hues, such as Risotto Milanese.

For 2 servings, you need: 200 grams of camomilo rice (that is, the round-grain rice used for sarmale), 1 teaspoon of saffron, 50 grams of butter cut into cubes—as cold as possible; you can even put it in the freezer while you prepare the risotto—1 onion, 60-70 grams of grated Parmesan, 100 ml of dry white wine, and 1 liter of vegetable broth.

We start with the saffron—we put it in a small bowl with 50 ml of warm water and leave it there to infuse.

We make the vegetable broth by bringing 1.5 liters of water to a boil, along with a chopped onion, 1 roughly chopped carrot, and a piece of cubed celery. Let it boil until the broth has reduced by about 30%.

Chop half an onion to sauté in a pan with a little salt, olive oil, a teaspoon of butter, and 1 ladle of broth.

When all the broth has evaporated, add the rice and practically sauté it for about 2-3 minutes over medium heat, after which we add the white wine and let it evaporate completely. From now on, we will cook the rice by adding one ladle of broth at a time, for 15-17 minutes.

Five minutes before the end of the cooking time, add the water in which we made the saffron infusion. Mix well, incorporate the Parmesan and the rest of the butter, then cover with a lid for 2 minutes—a resting time essential for any risotto.

Buon appetito!!!