Risotto (Basic)

By RecipeLot

Risotto is an Italian rice dish, most popular in northern Italy. Traditionally, risotto is the name given to all recipes that use rice as the main component and are served as first dish in a traditional Italian lunch or dinner as usually pasta also is. When rice arrived in Italy six centuries ago from the Far East, it found an ideal place for cultivation in the Po river plain and during the Renaissance and gradually replaced rye, barley and millet for its ease of preparation and nutritious power. Its diffusion across the country gave rise to hundreds of recipes containing components of different local cultures. But the founder of all risotti is the Milan risotto, also called saffron risotto. Generally the rice is slowly cooked in stock, but other liquids can be used. What's described here is a basic risotto recipe. Grated or ground Parmesan cheese is almost always sprinkled on top. It can be eaten as is, but risotto is generally enjoyed with one or two ingredients added. In Italy, risotto is, like pasta, usually served as first course, the second course being meat or fish.

• Cooking time: 40 minutes
• Servings: 4