Risotto alla Trevisana: Risotto with radicchio (recipe)

This recipe is from Veneto.

This recipe complements my previous post on Radicchio tardivo di Treviso. It’s a very common way of cooking it in Italy. The risotto takes on a lovely pinkish red colour thanks to the radicchio leaves and the gorgonzola adds a little depth of creamy flavour at the end.

When cooking risotto, you have to keep stirring all the time, otherwise you risk burning the rice on the bottom of the pan. You won’t be able to do anything else while cooking it so have everything ready before you start. I find cooking risotto a relaxing experience as you let yourself slip into the meditative reverie of stirring.

When you take the risotto off the heat to rest, the rice should be slightly undercooked. It will continue to cook to perfection during the five minutes resting time. The exact amount of cooking time will vary depending on which variety of rice you use.

The final process of adding the cheese and stirring will give the risotto a light fluffy texture and should be done after the resting period, not before. In the Veneto, risotto is served all’onda which means literally with waves. It means it should be slightly liquidy. If after resting your risotto is not, then add a final ladle of stock or boiling water before serving to achieve the required consistency. Risotto should always be served immediately after cooking.

Serve the risotto with the rest of the bottle of prosecco.

Buon appetito!

Risotto alla Trevisana

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Serves: 4 as a starter, 2 as a main

Preparation time: 5 mins

Cooking time: 20 mins

Total time: 25 mins

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Ingredients

20g (1 1/2 tablespoons) unsalted butter

olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

350g (1 3/4 cups) arborio rice

1/2 glass prosecco

1 litre (4 cups) vegetable stock, boiling hot

2 heads of radicchio tardivo di Treviso, chopped into small pieces

salt and pepper

30g (1 ounce) gorgonzola cheese

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Method

1. Melt the butter with a dash of olive oil in a large saucepan over a low heat.
2. Add the onion and cook until softened, about two minutes.
3. Add the rice, turn up the heat a little and toast until completely coated in oil, about 3 minutes.
4. Add the prosecco and stir through.
5. Add one ladleful of the stock and stir until it has been absorbed.
6. Add a second ladleful of stock a long with the radicchio, reserving one or two pieces for garnish.
7. When the stock has been absorbed, continue the process one ladleful at a time. When each ladleful has been absorbed add another. If you run out of stock, continue to add boiling water. One litre of stock should be enough but it will depend on the rice.
8. Continue until the rice is cooked, about 12 minutes. Towards the end test the rice. It should be firm to the bite, but not crunchy. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.
9. Remove the risotto from the heat, cover and then leave for 5 minutes.
10. Stir in the gorgonzola until it has melted. Add a little water / stock to loosen the risotto if necessary and serve.