Risotto is of national pride in Italy, but how did rice conquer Italy, and how do Italians make rice so delicious?!
A quick look at Italian Risotto history shows us that it took 4 thousand years for rice to arrive around the Mediterranean from China. Around the year 1000 rice was cultivated in Sicily by the Arabs, but it didn't set very deep roots nor did it spread in any significant way. For a long time, rice was considered to be a foreign food, a bit strange, almost like a spice. Though Arancini is a staple in the Sicilian street food scene today, rice almost disappeared from the Sicilian fields for centuries. Finally, rice finds perfect ground in northern Italy, in the flatlands of the Pianura Padana next to Italy's largest river, Po.
Through the ages, rice was primarily prepared in a broth. "Riso in bianco" (unseasoned rice) is considered food for young children or hospital food, still today. Yellow rice became a thing in the 1500s when a painter in the Cathedral of Milan allegedly added saffron to the boiling rice (saffron was used to color paint for frescos at the time), and this has become a well-respected classic today called "Risotto alla Milanese".
It's hard to determine when exactly Risotto made its entry on the Italian tables. Most probably it was in the north where rice grew and most probably it happened thanks to the influence of French cuisine as the nobility all over Europe was following French trends. Risotto was first mentioned in a recipe book in the mid-17-hundreds. But it wasn't until 100 years later when Tuscan-based Pellegrino Artusi, the first "food influencer" of the newly unified Italy, cited 10 different recipes for risotto that it became a dish of Italian households (initially only the affluent ones).
What makes risotto so delicious is that it is a creamy dish of rice enriched with fat (usually butter) and seasoned with other ingredients. There are several tips on how to prepare a great risotto, but there are endless variables that make it a dish that never tires.
This is one of the best I've ever had! And it has NO butter! (though don't get me wrong, I love butter!) I'm happy to share this recipe with you so you can try a wonderful risotto made by Alberto & Sara (chefs at Restaurant 1126 in Tuscany) with Cacio (Pecorino) & crunchy Guanciale.
RECIPE: Risotto with cacio, pepe, and crunchy guanciale
INGREDIENTS for 4 people:
1 1/2 cups (280 gr) Carnaroli rice
2 cups (200 gr) aged Pecorino cheese
3 oz (80 gr) extra virgin olive oil (prime quality like this one)
4 oz (120 gr) guanciale (you can substitute with cured bacon)
black pepper, possibly freshly ground (a lot)
Salt
Water
PROCEDURE:
1. Prepare a pot of water and bring it to a boil (this will be used to deglaze and cook the rice).
2. Start toasting the rice for about 2 minutes over medium heat in a pan or sauté pan (without adding oil or butter). As soon as it reaches the desired level of toasting, deglaze with water, and salt to taste, and continue cooking the rice, adding water gradually for about 12 minutes.
3. In the meantime, clean the guanciale properly by removing the rind and excess pepper. Cut it into slices about 3 mm thick and then into julienne strips. Put it in a pan over low heat so that as the fat melts, it helps to brown and crisp it up. Once ready, drain and place the guanciale on absorbent paper to absorb the excess fat.
4. At this point, the rice will be ready to be creamed. Turn off the heat and add the extra virgin olive oil, Pecorino cheese, and pepper (a lot, remember the dish should be quite peppery), stirring vigorously. Check for salt and serve warm with the crispy guanciale on top.
Recipe brought to you by Sara & Alberto of Osteria 1126 at Fattoria di Cinciano in Tuscany.