A Brieft History and Tutorial of Risotto

 

Ah.. Italy, the land of infamously delicious and complex food. Italy has been long recognized as a culinary powerhouse for its discoveries and techniques in cooking. Although the country is known for its vast assortment of pizza and pasta dishes, it has learned to master other ingredients as well, including rice. But this is not just any rice, and it is certainly not the kind of rice you would use for an asian dish. I am talking about the esteemed, arborio rice. This rice is a short grain rice which means that it is packed with starch. Providing a luxurious, creamy texture that makes this dish so iconic. The dish I am talking about is, of course, risotto.

The word risotto comes from the Italian word “riso” meaning rice. In human history, rice has been a staple for centuries first dating “in northern Thailand (ca. 2000 to 1500 BC); and the An Sơn site in southern Vietnam (ca. 2000 to 1200 BC).” It was not until some 2,000 years later that rice made its way to Italy. “The history of risotto is naturally tied to the history of rice in Italy. While there are many conflicting opinions on the historical intricacies, rice was first introduced to Italy and Spain by the Arabs during the Middle Ages.”   

“The year was 1829 and the name Risotto alla Milanese appears for the first time in the recipe book Nuovo Cuoco Milanese Economico. For the first time, the rice was not boiled, but cooked with butter and broth that was gradually poured and enriched with beef bone marrow and cervellata (sausage stuffed with cheese, beef, and veal meats) and saffron. Why saffron? The region had been under Spanish rule for almost two centuries and rice dishes, including paella, had become staples in Milan. The slow cooking principles of paella were combined with the local, starchy, short grain rice and an unknown chef created Risotto alla Milanese with rice, chicken stock, saffron, onions, butter, wine, parmesan, and flat leaf parsley.” 

The key to this dish is that unlike most rice dishes where the rice is boiled, risotto is cooked slowly in a range of fats. The process for making risotto  is simple but requires constant attention. If not monitored carefully and given proper care, the risotto will come apart. 

One first starts this dish by measuring the rice, about a ladle worth of rice per person. In one pot warm up a drizzle of olive oil while simultaneously heating a separate pot of chicken broth. The majority of this dish is spent adding the broth to the rice ladle by ladle, so we want to have the broth warm and ready to go. Saute the rice until it has lightly toasted and becomes aromatic. After the rice has toasted, add about ¼ cup of white wine, stir the rice until the wine has cooked off and the rice developed a somewhat sticky texture. You should be able to run a wooden spoon down the center and the rice holds its shape. After the alcohol is cooked out comes the “baby sitting” step. Gradually add one ladle of chicken broth at a time, making sure the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pot. Before you add your next ladle, make sure you run your wooden spoon down the center and that the rice maintains its shape, if the rice creeps back, it’s not ready.

 After about thirty to forty five minutes, the rice should be cooked. At this time you can add a sparing amount of chicken broth and as much pecorino or grana padano cheese as you like. Make sure to incorporate the cheese well and let the rice sit off the flame and absorb the flavor of the flavor. If you have followed the steps correctly, you should have a glossy and decadent rice dish. All that is left is to give yourself a pat on the back and enjoy what many Italians have enjoyed for centuries. 

Works cited 

Fabrizio “The history of risotto.” Via Verde, Via verde, April 14, 2017. viaverdimiami.com/the-history-of-risotto/, Accessed July 2. 2023. 

“History of rice cultivation.” Wikipedia, Wikipedia®, July 1. 2023. /en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_rice_cultivation#:~:text=The%20earliest%20evidence%20of%20rice,2%2C500%20and%201%2C500%20years%20ago. Accessed July 2. 2023. 

“The history of risotto.” Wise Guys Modern American Restauraunt ,Copyright 2022 WiseGuys,wiseguyshhi.com/the-history-of-risotto/, Accessed July 2. 2023.