Risotto

The exotic word for many - risotto - is essentially a cross between the soup from which the whole liquid base boiled and the so-called smudge porridge. This is a traditional Italian dish whose recipe you can easily change as you wish - risotto can be hearty meat or light vegetarian, unusually tender or spicy, liquid or crumbly.

Traditionally, special varieties of round rice are used to make risotto, which are rich in starch - Arborio, Carnaroli, Maratelli, Baldo, Roma, Padano or Vialone Nano. The first three varieties are ranked as the best for risotto and are the most expensive. The calorie content of risotto directly depends on which kind of rice was used in the cooking process, as well as on the nutritional value of the remaining added ingredients.

Based on the customs of a certain region, rice is previously fried in olive or butter, in addition to which chicken fat can be used. After that, boiling broth or ordinary water is gradually added to the rice and the cereal is stewed with constant stirring. The next portion of liquid is added only when the rice has absorbed the previous volume. At the end of the risotto, the desired filler is introduced - seafood, meat, vegetables, mushrooms or dried fruits.

Sometimes, to give the ready-made risotto even more creaminess, characteristic of rice varieties with a high starch content, a mixture of whipped butter with grated parmesan cheese or crushed pecorino cheese is poured into an almost ready-made dish.

Once upon a time, risotto was prepared exclusively in butter, since it comes from the north of Italy, where, as you know, there were never olive trees and there are no. Traditional risotto variants are done in the same way today. For example, Milanese risotto is prepared with butter, saffron and parmesan. By the way, French chefs thought of adding cream to the risotto, and for Italians this is completely unthinkable.

Completely new recipes also arise: for example, risotto with radiccio or chicory. Such risotto is characterized by a bitter taste, very now appreciated by Italians, and the addition of red dry wine. In general, risotto can be prepared from almost any product that has a harmonious taste. For example, with pears and gorgonzola cheese, asparagus, lobsters and oranges, chicken or fish fillet.

In fact, there are a haunting amount of risotto options - this dish does not have the exact composition of the ingredients and proportions of the products used. The most important thing for a real risotto is the creaminess of the consistency and the monotonous "fluidity" of the finished dish, which Italians call all'onda. The calorie content of the risotto of the classic (pure) is about 169 kcal per hundred grams of ready dish.