Risotto Carbonara

This risotto recipe was SO good. The fam enjoyed this one. The photos are of the leftovers, and I think all of the pancetta was picked out by that point, lol. So it doesn't look very carbonara-y, but it is. (You can use either smoked pancetta or guanciale for this.) 

This was a bit too salty with all that cheese, but delicious. Next time, I'd use unsalted broth and add a bit of salt to taste. Also, there are onions in this recipe. If you are a Carbonara purist, this probably isn't for you, anyway. :) They sell eggs in Italy that have extra-yellow yolks for homemade pasta and other things. I did not use them for this recipe because I didn't have them on hand, but I would next time. 

Risotto Carbonara 

adapted from Delicious Australia

2-4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, as needed
1 onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
200g smoked pancetta OR guanciale, finely chopped
2 eggs, plus 3 yolks
2 cups (160g) finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve
250g arborio rice
5 cups (1.25L) low-sodium chicken stock* 

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1.  Heat oil in a large non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and bacon and cook, stirring, for 15 minutes or until onion is completely translucent and bacon is fragrant and the fat has rendered.

2.  While the onion is cooking, combine eggs, yolks and parmesan in a bowl. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

3.  Stir rice into onion mixture and cook for 1 minute to coat the grains, then add stock*, 1 ladleful at a time, stirring at each addition, for 20 minutes or until all the stock has been used and rice is al dente. Remove from heat and cool for 2 minutes, then add egg mixture and stir for 2-3 minutes to create a rich, creamy risotto. Return to low heat for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. If you used unsalted stock, taste for salt and add some if necessary. Scatter over extra parmesan and freshly ground black pepper to serve.

Note: To reheat any risotto, use a nonstick pan on the stove on medium-low heat. Add some water or broth (or milk, if you want it creamier) and stir with a silicone spatula until heated. Add more liquid as the risotto soaks it up, until the risotto is warm enough. You want it to remain creamy. 

*This was too salty for me even with the reduced-sodium stock, and I even used 4 cups broth, 1 cup water. It was because of the amount of cheese. I would either reduce the cheese next time (gasp!) OR use more water with my stock, OR unsalted stock and then add salt to taste. 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Risotto with Zucchini & Smoked Pancetta

 

I've wanted to make risotto at home lately ever since I made some at a recent cooking class. I haven't made any at home for a while. I was able to use some special rice an Italian friend gifted me. I used 2 medium-small zucchini and a little container of smoked pancetta. We all had this for lunch a few days ago. It's nice to have more time over the Christmas break to actually cook. I feel like I haven't done any cooking in a really long time. 

Risotto with Zucchini & Smoked Pancetta 

adapted from here 

2 medium-small zucchini, sliced 

2 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup (more or less) cubed, smoked prosciutto (can sub chopped ham, bacon or Canadian bacon)

4-6 cups chicken broth

2 cups water 

(2 cups- about 377 grams) arborio, vialone nano, or carnaroli rice 

1 oz. (2 Tbs.) butter, cut into 4 pieces

1/2 to 1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana 

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. In a wide heavy-duty 5- to 6-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and chopped prosciutto and cook, stirring occasionally (a wooden spoon is best), until soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. After you get this set up, in a skillet, heat some olive oil and cook the zucchini slices until crisp-tender. Stir occasionally so they don't burn. 

2. Meanwhile, in a 3-quart saucepan, bring the broth and water to a bare simmer over medium-low heat.

3. Add the rice to the onion and stir with a wooden spatula until the grains are coated with oil, slightly translucent around the edges, and opaque in the center, 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Using a large ladle, add about 3/4 cup of the broth. Stir, mixing any rice sticking to the pot’s sides back into the mixture, until most of the broth is absorbed, the rice no longer seems loose when you shake the pot, and a wide trail forms when you run the spatula across the bottom of the pot.

5. After about 10 minutes, add your cooked zucchini. Continue to add broth in 3/4-cup increments, stirring constantly and scraping around the edge of the pot, until the rice is al dente (still a bit firm to the bite but without a hard or crunchy center) and most of the broth is absorbed, 18 to 22 minutes. (You may or may not use all of the broth; if you run out, use hot water.) (If you want the risotto a little softer, go ahead and cook it longer, adding extra liquid if needed.) 

6. Immediately turn off the heat. Add another bit of broth and the butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt and pepper to taste, and stir quickly. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir again and serve. (I skipped the resting period and we just dug in immediately... lol). 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Pumpkin Risotto

We had Pumpkin Risotto at a local pumpkin festival recently and I really wanted to make it at home.  I found a NY Times recipe that was simple and good.  At the festival, the risotto was topped with sauteed Pioppini mushrooms, so I cooked some and served them on the side. 

Pumpkin Risotto 
adapted from NY Times

4 to 5 cups chicken or vegetable stock/broth
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 cup arborio or vialone nano rice
½ cup dry white wine (can omit or use more chicken broth, but it adds great flavor)
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, optional
1 cup solid-pack canned pumpkin puree (can use homemade)
6 tablespoons coarsely grated Parmigiano Reggiano
⅛ teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pioppini mushrooms, optional, plus some olive oil and butter*

1.  Heat the stock to a simmer, and continue simmering it while preparing the recipe.

2.  Heat a nonstick soup pot until it is very hot. Reduce heat to medium high, and add oil.  Saute onion and garlic until onion begins to soften.  Stir in rice to coat well; add wine, and cook until wine has evaporated.

3.  Add 1 cup of the stock with the nutmeg to the rice; reduce heat so that mixture simmers. Stir often, cooking until most of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice. Repeat with another cup of stock, and continue stirring, adding stock until the rice is almost tender but still has some bite to it.  If you need more liquid, just use hot water.  You can add salt if needed later.  

4.  Stir in the pumpkin, cheese, salt and pepper, and stir until mixture is hot. Taste and add more salt if needed.  

*If using the mushrooms, prepare them while the risotto is cooking.  Cut off the bottom part of the mushrooms (where they are joined together; this is were most of the dirt is.)  Don't chop the stems off.  Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a nonstick skillet.  Add the mushrooms and cook and stir until done to your liking.

**Made this 10/28/25 and sauteed some smoked pancetta first, then set it aside, leaving the grease. I cooked the onion in the grease and then proceeded with the recipe. I upped the dry rice to 1.5 cups, the white wine to 1 cup, and the pumpkin to 1.5 cups and had to increase the broth by a few cups. I stirred in 1 Tablespoon of salted butter at the end. We topped the risotto with the cooked pancetta. It was really good this way and made a bit more.**

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

"Smoked" Risotto

I like trying new risotto recipes.  I don't remember how I came across this one, but it's from an Italian recipe website.  I'm glad I tried it.  The recipes uses a smoked cheese, "scamorza", and smoked pancetta for the smoky flavor.  (You could use other smoked cheese.)  The pics are of leftover risotto, which never looks as nice.  But you can re-heat leftovers and make them creamy again by cooking slowly in a small non-stick saucepan and adding liquid, like milk or chicken stock.  It worked out perfectly.  Just stir and add the liquid- it will absorb it quickly and you may need more than you think.  This recipe is in grams.

The smoked cheese.

"Smoked" Risotto

adapted from Giallo Afferano

20 grams butter
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
50 grams smoked pancetta, diced
320 grams Carnaroli rice (or other risotto rice)
1 liter vegetable or chicken broth, plus 1-2 cups hot water
100 grams smoked Scamorza cheese, or other smoked cheese, cut into small cubes
black pepper, to taste
salt, to taste

1. In a medium saucepan, heat broth over medium-low until hot. Meanwhile, in a large pot, cook the onions with the olive oil and butter. Cook for a few minutes over medium heat, and then add the pancetta. Let it brown a few minutes.

2. Add the rice, toast it for a few minutes, stirring frequently to prevent it from sticking, then add 2-3 ladles of the hot broth. Continue cooking for 15 minutes, adding some broth every time the rice starts to dry out. When you run out of broth, you can use hot water. Cook until rice is creamy and tender. When the rice is tender enough for your liking, turn off the heat.

3. Add the cubed cheese to the risotto, add salt and pepper, then stir to mix all the ingredients. Your smoked risotto is ready: serve while hot.

*This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Risotto di Bruscandoli

I was at my friend's Frutteria a while ago and spotted this plant that looked like tiny asparagus.  I asked what it was, but didn't really understand.  My friend mentioned it was good in risotto and told me what to do.  So I bought some, took it home, and made risotto with it.  It wasn't until the next week that I was at a supermarket and spotted it again.  (Pic above of the supermarket stuff.)  I took a pic of the name so I could come home and look it up online.  Turns out Bruscandoli is a kind of wild hops plant!!  It's tender and mild; perfect for risotto.  You snap off the rough ends like asparagus.

Risotto di Bruscandoli
adapted from here

4 cups (1 quart container) chicken broth

2 cups water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion

1 bunch Bruscandoli, washed, tough ends snapped, chopped into bite-size pieces
Salt, to taste
1 ½ cups Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice
½ cup dry white wine (I used Pino Grigio)
Black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan

1.  In a medium saucepan, heat the chicken broth and water to simmering.  (I combine them because I find just broth to be too salty, even reduced-sodium.)  Once simmering, lower the heat to the lowest possible heat.

2.  In a large stockpot (I like not-stick for risotto), heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion and chopped Bruscandoli and cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the rice and cook for 1-2 minutes.  Add the wine and let evaporate completely.

3.  Begin adding hot broth, a couple of ladles at a time. Broth should just cover the rice and should be bubbling. Stir often. When broth has just about evaporated, add another ladle or 2 to just cover rice. Continue to cook in this way until rice is al dente, about 20 to 25 minutes. (I cook a few minutes more so it's not too al dente, but not mushy either.) Add a little pepper, taste and adjust seasoning.  (If you run out of broth/water, you can use hot water.  Will need to add salt to taste probably.)

6. Add another ladleful of broth to the rice. Stir in butter and Parmesan and remove from heat. Mixture should be creamy. Serve right away.

Special risotto rice grown locally.  I like using Vialone Nano or Carnaoli vs. Arborio.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Parmesan Risotto (with Homemade Parmesan Stock)

Ever since making this Broccolo Fiolaro Rissotto, I've wanted to make a plain cheese risotto. Through Facebook, I saw a NY Times recipe calling for Parmesan Risotto using a broth made of leftover Parmesan rinds.  (By the way, when I talk about Parmesan, I always mean either Grana Padano cheese OR Parmigiano-Reggiano, which is what I always have in the fridge and use as "Parmesan cheese".  Both are wonderful.  Right now, I have both on hand!)

When you use up a triangle of any kind of Parmesan (or other hard cheese, liked aged Asiago), you can stick the rind in the freezer to use in a soup or broth later.  I had a freezer bag that was so full of them; I was happy to use some of them up in this recipe.  The recipe calls for 12 oz. of rinds, but I upped it to a full 16 oz. just to use more.  (If you don't want to do the Parmesan stock, you could probably just use chicken broth for this recipe.)

Also, I wasn't able to take pics of this when I served it.  Risotto is best eaten immediately.  The leftovers taste great, but don't look as smooth and creamy as when it is served fresh.  (With leftovers, one can also make Arancini- fried risotto balls.)  That's why the risotto in these pics is covered with a huge pile of Parmigiano-Reggiano.  :)  Note: The original recipe calls for Saffron, and I left it out to let the Parmesan flavor shine through.

Parmesan Risotto (with Homemade Parmesan Stock)
adapted from the NY Times

Parmesan Stock:

12 ounces Parmesan rinds
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme (or dried)
3 sprigs parsley
3 garlic cloves, crushed
Salt, to taste

Risotto:
6 to 7 cups Parmesan broth, as needed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ cup finely chopped onion
Salt, to taste
1 ½ cups Arborio, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice
½ cup dry white wine (I used Pino Grigio)
Black pepper
1 tablespoon butter
⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan

1.  Make stock: Place Parmesan rinds, bay leaf and thyme in a soup pot or large heavy saucepan and add 3 quarts water. Bring to a simmer. Skim off foam, cover partly and simmer 1 hour over very low heat. Add parsley and garlic cloves and continue to simmer 30 minutes, partly covered. Uncover, add salt to taste, and simmer another 30 minutes.

2.  Line a strainer with cheesecloth and place over a large bowl. Strain stock into bowl. Refrigerate it, preferably overnight. Before reheating, remove fat from top and discard. You should have about 2 quarts broth.

3. Make the Risotto: Pour broth into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Make sure that it is well seasoned but not very salty, as it will reduce and become saltier.  Lower heat and leave on while making the risotto.

4.  Heat olive oil over medium heat in a wide heavy saucepan or soup pot (I like to use my non-stick soup pot for making risotto).   Add onion and a generous pinch of salt and cook until onion is just tender, about 3 minutes. Do not brown. Add rice and stir just until grains begin to crackle, 1 to 2 minutes. Add white wine and cook, stirring, until it has been totally absorbed.

5.  Begin adding hot broth, a couple of ladles at a time.  Broth should just cover the rice and should be bubbling. Stir often. When broth has just about evaporated, add another ladle or 2 to just cover rice. Continue to cook in this way until rice is al dente, about 20 to 25 minutes. (I cook a few minutes more so it's not too al dente, but not mushy either.)  Add a little pepper, taste and adjust seasoning.

6.  Add another ladleful of broth to the rice. Stir in butter and Parmesan and remove from heat. Mixture should be creamy. Serve right away.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Arancini (with Broccolo Fiolaro)

The batch of Broccolo Fiolaro risotto made quite a bit, so we had leftovers.  We warmed some up in the microwave and ate it that way, but it wasn't as good as fresh.  So I decided to form it into balls and fry it up- or make Aranicini!  I stuffed these with fresh Asiago cheese (that we bought a week or so before on a trip up there).  I also coated them with Panko- Japanese breadcrumbs.  Those are the only breadcrumbs I keep around and they're delicious.  These were very good! A wonderful way to enjoy leftover risotto.

Arancini (with Broccolo Fiolaro)
basic method from here

leftover risotto

1egg, beaten
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
4 ounces soft (not aged) Asiago cheese, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup dry bread crumbs (I used Panko)
1-2 cup oil for deep frying (I used sunflower)

1. Stir the beaten egg into the risotto. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining egg and milk with a fork. For each ball, roll 2 tablespoons of the risotto into a ball. Press a piece of the cheese into the center, and roll to enclose. Coat lightly with flour, dip into the milk mixture, then roll in bread crumbs to coat.

2.  Heat oil for frying in a small skillet (uses less oil) to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Fry the balls in small batches until evenly golden, turning as needed. Drain on paper towels.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Risotto con Broccolo Fiolaro

 A few weeks ago, some neighbors had us over and made Risotto con Broccolo Fiolaro.  It was SO good.  Our neighbor's uncle makes his own cheese, and it's like a Parm-Reg mixed with Grana.  It was so good.  He put a lot in the risotto.  Then, they said my kids could have as much of the cheese as they wanted, which got a little out of hand and I had to cut them off, a bit embarrassed by how much they were eating.  Anyway, the risotto that night was so good and this was my attempt at re-creating it.

I had never made risotto before, and only eaten it a handful of times (and only since arriving in Italy), but I love it and wanted to make it.  I asked my neighbor and she said "Just make regular risotto and cook the Broccolo and add it".  I don't "just know" how to make risotto, and all the Italian recipes I looked up for Broccolo Risotto said the same thing: "Make the risotto in the traditional way....." etc. So I just looked up a basic risotto from Fine Cooking and added Broccolo and Speck (a kind of dry-cured ham from Northern Italy; our neighbors also used it).  It worked out SO well.  I loved it!!  It made quite a lot and some of my kids didn't eat much.  But we ate our fill and with the rest, I made Arancini another day.  That will be posted another time!

Broccolo after being washed

Boiling the Broccolo for a few minutes to soften it (it wilts a LOT).

After boiling, drain and chop pretty small. At this point, you can also sautee with garlic and olive oil for extra flavor.  I skipped that this time.

Chopped up; ready to add to the risotto.

A small slab of Speck: I chopped this and cooked it with the onions.

Onions and Speck sauteing in olive oil.

The Risotto after adding the Broccolo.

Risotto con Broccolo Fiolaro

Adapted from our neighbors, Fine Cooking and Kucinare

a few large bunches Broccolo Fiolaro (it will cook way down)

2 Tbs. olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

one thick slice of Speck or Prosciutto, cut into small cubes

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

14-1/2 oz. (2 cups- about 377 grams) arborio, vialone nano, or carnaroli rice (I used carnaroli)

1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces

2 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Grana (2 cups using a rasp grater)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.  Rinse the Broccolo in a colander.  Cut it up from the core.  Just cut length-wise and up so it's kind of like matchsticks, but thick.  The core is the only thing that needs to be cut because the leaves don't.  We'll cut it more later.  Bring a large pot of water to boil, and salt the water.  Add the Broccolo and boil for 5-10 minutes, or until the "stalks", or thickest parts, are crisp-tender, but not too soft.  Drain in the colander.  When cool, transfer to a cutting board and chop into bite-sized pieces.

2.  In a wide heavy-duty 5- to 6-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the onion and chopped Speck and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.

3.  Meanwhile, in a 3-quart saucepan, bring the broth and water to a bare simmer over medium-low heat.

4.  Add the rice to the onion and stir with a wooden spatula until the grains are coated with oil, slightly translucent around the edges, and opaque in the center, 2 to 3 minutes.

5.  Using a large ladle, add about 3/4 cup of the broth. Stir, mixing any rice sticking to the pot’s sides back into the mixture, until most of the broth is absorbed, the rice no longer seems loose when you shake the pot, and a wide trail forms when you run the spatula across the bottom of the pot.

6. After about 10 minutes, add your cooked and chopped Broccolo Fiolaro.  Continue to add broth in 3/4-cup increments, stirring constantly and scraping around the edge of the pot, until the rice is al dente (still a bit firm to the bite but without a hard or crunchy center) and most of the broth is absorbed, 18 to 22 minutes. (You may or may not use all of the broth; if you run out, use hot water.)

7.  Immediately turn off the heat. Add another 3/4 cup broth and the butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano, and salt and pepper to taste, and stir quickly. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and let sit for 5 minutes. Stir again and serve. (Mine was a little too al dente at this point; so I just turned the heat back on "low", added about 1/4- 1/2 cup of broth, and cooked and stirred until that was absorbed.)

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Sagra del Broccolo Fiolaro

Two chefs perfecting the Gnocchi di Broccolo Fiolaro.

Nearby Vicenza, Italy, is the small town of Creazzo, where a special green grows.  This vegetable, called "Broccolo Fiolaro", dates back to Roman times and almost became extinct (because farmers were growing imported veggies instead) until farmers in Creazzo brought it back.  Now, it's only grown in the hills of Creazzo, and is what would be considered an "heirloom vegetable" if it was grown in the US.  It has quite a large local following- and its very own Sagra, or Festival, that is two weeks long!  You can buy this all around Vicenza right now, and it is also featured in local restaurants.  The harvest time is from November-February.  The broccolo is sweet and not bitter at all, and very good for you. I like to buy it at least once a week this time of year and cook it at home.  I'll share my "recipe" for that next week.

We attended the Sagra twice this year- once on Risotto night, and then again on Gnocchi night.  On Gnocchi night we took some friends with us for their first Sagra experience.  (Pictured below is the Gnocchi; above is a Broccolo Fiolaro plant.)

We love going to local Sagras and experiencing new foods and the Italian culture.  It's also nice to have a Sagra in January, as most of them fall within Spring/Summer/Early Fall.  Sagras usually have music or some entertainment later in the evening.  We usually have the kids with us, so we haven't often stayed long enough to enjoy that.  Maybe in a few years when everybody's older.

Broccolo Fiolaro on display at the Sagra.

Huge skillet of gnocchi!!!

People enjoying the Sagra.

Two pics above; Risotto night!!

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