Saffron Risotto

   Saffron Risotto

Today we made Saffron Risotto at Mama Isa's Cooking Classes in Italy near Venice..

Saffron Risotto ("Risotto allo Zafferano" in Italian)  is one of the most famous risotto in Milan, Lombardia, Italy.

INGREDIENTS (serves 6 people)
480 g Italian rice (or Vialone Nano rice, or Arborio rice, or Carnaroli rice)
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 packet of saffron (melted in a little bit of hot stock)
1 liter of hot Chicken stock (and more hot water, if necessary)
1 glass (about 100 ml) of white wine
100 g of unsalted butter (75 g at the beginning of the preparation, and 25 g at the end)
100 g of Parmesan cheese freshly grated (or Grana Padano cheese or Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese)
Salt to taste
Back pepper to taste, freshly grounded

DIRECTIONS 
In a non-stick pan for risotto, melt the unsalted butter with onion, finely chopped, until the onion is translucent (we call this first step "soffritto").
Then add the rice and mix very well, until it begins to be translucent and transparent. In Italy we call this second step "tostatura": it will ensure uniform cooking of the grain, so it’s a fairly important step.
 Make sure all the rice is nicely toasted, and then you can add a glass of wine and stir till it evaporates completely before moving to the next step.
Now the third step: add the glass of white wine.
When the wine is evaporated, continue to cook, adding a ladleful of hot chicken stock to the rice in small quantities, stirring constantly between the addictions and until the stock has all been absorbed and the rice has become sticky.

A good risotto is only with a good stock from scratch!

Continue this step, adding a ladleful of hot chicken stock at a time (if you don't have more stock, use hot water), until the rice is tender, but still with a bite (not overcooked), about 20-25 minutes.
Turn off the heat.
Now the last and most important step of them all ("mantecatura" in Italian). At this stage you will give its creamy and silky consistence that makes for a great and delicious "risotto all'onda", stirring in the remaining unsalted butter, saffron is added during the final stages of the cooking process, saffron, and the parmesan cheese, freshly grated, till you reach the right texture.

Saffron is added during the final stage of the risotto cooking process.

Saffron is added during the final stage of the risotto cooking process

Taste for salt, adding more if necessary. Cover the risotto pan and leave the saffron risotto to stand for about 2-3 minutes, then serve it while it is still hot.
I use some cooking rings to improve risotto presentation skills. Simply place the ring on the pasta bowl, then spoon in risotto. Compress lightly if necessary and level off with a spoon or a spatula, then wait for a minute, and remove the ring. Place the risotto in a cooking ring (for the presentation), remove the ring, and top with more parmesan cheese freshly grated and a sprinkle of black pepper.

Saffron Risotto with the Chef Mama Isa

Cooking Rings for the presentation