Secrets To Making Perfect Italian Risotto By Italian Chef Marta Grassi

Chef Marta Grassi needs no introduction in Italy. The pint-sized chef has a lot of power when it comes to commanding her 1-Michelin-star restaurant, Tantris.

Opening her kitchen to foodies, gourmets and interested cooks, Marta is lovable and competently moves around the kitchen like she owns it – why not… with many awards to her name and catching the attention of Michelin inspectors ( love them or hate them, they got it right this time), this tiny restaurant located in the countryside known as Novara – a hop, skip and a jump away from the famous Lake District (Maggiore, Orta).

Even though Novara is not a big city like Turin or Milan, it definitely has some star chefs worth visiting. Chef Marta Grassi is the first I will introduce in my Italian series this month – a big welcome to Marta Grassi to the Chefs Collective 

For more information Novara, the tourism board is a wealth of knowledge – don’t trust the guidebooks out there!

Here is Chef Marta Grassi’s fail-proof recipe for delicious Risotto made with a two local producers unique to the Novara region: Gorgonzola and A-grade Carnaroli rice

Don’t be put off by the ingredient ‘dry mould’ .. it is the ‘good bacteria’ found in Gorgonzola!

Top tip: For the best Gorgonzola – visit Palzola – a MUST!

RISOTTO, DRIED MOULD, MASCARPONE, GORGONZOLA AND WALNUTS

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5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4 from 4 reviews

• Author: Chef Marta Grassi
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: Serves 4
• Diet: Omnivore

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Description

Creamy risotto gets an earthy upgrade with gorgonzola cheese and crunchy walnuts. Dried molds add a unique touch!

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 liters (67.6 fl oz) vegetable broth
• 1 lbs (420 gr) rice Carnaroli
• 1/2 cup (150 ml) white wine
• 1 onion
• 2 oz (60 gr) butter to toast the rice
• 3.5 oz (100 gr) butter to cream the rice
• 6 oz (180 gr) mascarpone
• Salt
• 2.5 oz (70 gr) walnuts
• 7 oz (200 gr) spicy gorgonzola + 3 oz (80 gr) milk
• 8.8 oz (250 gr) sweet gorgonzola + 3 oz (80 gr) milk
• Seeds oil

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Instructions

For the walnuts

1. Pan-fry the walnuts for a few minutes until browned, then chop roughly.

For the sauce

1. Melt the sweet gorgonzola with hot milk, filter, and keep warm.
2. Rinse, dehydrate, and dry the molds.
3. Melt the spicy gorgonzola with hot milk, whisk to obtain a cream, and keep warm.

For the risotto

1. Heat 60 gr of butter, add the chopped onion, and cook for a few minutes. Then, add the rice and toast it. Deglaze with wine, remove the onion, and continue cooking with broth, adjusting with salt.
2. When the rice is almost ready, cream it with the mascarpone and the remaining 100 gr of butter.
3. Prepare the risotto dish by adding the two gorgonzola sauces, the walnuts, and the dried molds.

Notes

• To prevent the risotto from becoming too watery, add the broth gradually, stirring continuously and only adding more when the previous addition has been absorbed.
• For a richer flavor, use a combination of vegetable and chicken broth. Adjust the amount of vegetable broth accordingly to maintain the desired consistency.
• If you don’t have mascarpone cheese, you can substitute it with an equal amount of heavy cream for a slightly less creamy texture.

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Main Course
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups
• Calories: 500
• Sugar: 5
• Sodium: 500
• Fat: 35
• Saturated Fat: 20
• Unsaturated Fat: 10
• Carbohydrates: 50
• Fiber: 5
• Protein: 15
• Cholesterol: 80

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