Receta the red wine risotto and how life changes in one day
risotto, the ultimate Italian no-wheat marvel
There are days that change your life.
Have you ever wondered why so much of our lives is spent waiting for a situation to change?
Those days you wait so long for, they finally happen. This – in one or another way – is often a relief. In fact, for a few minutes, even hours if you are lucky, you don’t hang over the unknown. But then, after that fleeting moment, you are looking ahead again. The future with all its needs is calling you once more.
SO THE NEWS is that I have been diagnosed wheat and egg intolerance. I have known for years to be dairy intolerant. I don’t know if I am celiac, I will know it in a few weeks.
In any case for the moment I’ll have no eggs, no wheat pasta, no bread, no butter and cheese.I have been having bad digestion problems for so long that just knowing what I should eliminate from my diet is a relief.
Of course, it does feel like my world has gotten upside down. Me, that one who wanted to convince the world to make their own fresh pasta at least once a week. Me, that one who loves to cook for others, who basically exists on cooking for others.
The good news is that I can still cook for those I love. I’ll just need to make two menus now. And not even every day.
Recipe
- 500 gr. / 1 lb Italian fresh sausages, grilled
- 250 ml / 1 cup good quality red wine
- 1 lt / 5 cups low-salt chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 tablespoon butter or EVO oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cups arborio, vialone nano or carnaroli rice
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup Parmesan or pecorino shavings
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Before starting please revise my risotto principles.
Grill the sausages, set aside and keep warm. I use our fantastic Umbrian sausages which are seasoned with garlic and black pepper but I would not be adverse to fennel seasoned sausages.
Make the risotto. In a large pan over low heat, sauté the onion in butter, EVO oil or a mixture of the two until tender, about 8 minutes. Add rice and stir 1 minute. Increase the heat to medium/high and add 2 tablespoon wine. Cook until absorbed, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Add the rest of the wine, one tablespoon at the time, stirring until it is absorbed.
Now lower the heat and add 1/2 cup broth and simmer until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 4 minutes. After this initial stage you can continue to cook , adding more broth by ladlefuls and allowing liquid to be absorbed before adding more, stirring only after you have added the liquid.
When the rice is tender, but still has a bite, add more salt if necessary, 2 tablespoons Parmesan and once last ladleful of broth. For extra creaminess, add in 1 tablespoon cold diced butter which you need to stir vigorously. Cover and wait 5 min before serving. Serve topped with sliced sausages, a sprinkle of parsley ans shavings of Parmesan or pecorino.
For a dairy-free version omit the cheese and butter and serve with a drizzle of fruity extra virgin olive oil. It will still be delicious!
Serves 3-4