Italian traditional rice varieties and ready to eat risotto - Alifood (2024)

FAQs

Italian traditional rice varieties and ready to eat risotto - Alifood? ›

Arborio is the most popular short-grain rice for making risotto. It is capable of absorbing large amounts of liquid and produces a relatively creamy risotto with a hearty texture.

Arborio is the most popular short-grain rice for making risotto. It is capable of absorbing large amounts of liquid and produces a relatively creamy risotto with a hearty texture.

Arborio is wider and longer, and not quite as starchy as the other two varieties. This makes for a slightly thicker, softer risotto. Its widespread availability makes it the go-to variety. Carnaroli, known as the “king” or “caviar” of risotto rice, is said to produce the creamiest risotto.

Risotto alla Milanese is a classic dish from the Lombardy region of northern Italy. It's said to have come about in the mid-1800s, when a team of glassmakers took some of the saffron they were using to color the stained glass windows in Milan's Duomo cathedral and added it to the risotto being served at dinner.

Despite its appearance, risotto is not a type of rice but an Italian dish made with a special high-starch, short-grain rice such Italian Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano rice.

Gordon Ramsay Mushroom's Risotto Recipe

* 2 cups Arborio Rice * ½ cup Parmesan Cheese (shredded) * 4 tablespoons Butter * 8 cups Chicken Broth (divided) * ½ cup White Wine * 3 tablespoons Olive Oil (extra virgin) * ½ cup Shallots (finely diced) * 2 cups Mushrooms (baby bella) * 3 tablespoons…

Great risotto cannot be made with long-grain rice, such as Basmati or Jasmine rice. Sometimes, other grains can be used to make risotto-style dishes, such as barley, farro, buckwheat, and quinoa.

Most Italians eat risotto with a fork, but there are areas where you are given a spoon by default to eat it: it happens in Campania, for example, but not only there. It partly depends on convenience and habits.

In Italy, risotto is often celebrated as a standalone dish, especially when it's seasoned with robust flavors from meat, cheese, or fish sauce like risotto with crabs. However, there are rare occasions when risotto might share its glory with another delicacy, like the classic pairing of risotto Milanese and osso buco.

Italian style risottos are traditionally made using a specific type of rice called Arborio rice. Arborio rice is a short-grain rice that contains higher starch content, which makes it perfect for creating the rich and creamy texture in risottos.

Is risotto healthier than rice? ›

Due to the higher fiber content in Arborio rice versus white rice, risotto will have more health benefits, including regulation of cholesterol and positive impacts on heart health.

Bell Italia highly recommends Scotti Rice for Risottos as the best risotto rice choice. Our specially curated selection of Scotti Rice for Risottos, presented in innovative vacuum-sealed packaging, not only guarantees freshness but also provides a captivating view of the individual rice grains.

You can use any short-grain rice variety to make risotto. Carnaroli or arborio rice are the most common, but you may see boxes labeled generically as “risotto rice.” The latter should be fine, but check the label to make sure it isn't preseasoned or otherwise flavored. In a pinch, even sushi rice will work.

Among the Italian rice varieties, Arborio is the one with the largest grains; their shape is more rounded than the others. Thanks to these characteristics, the cooking liquid is bound in a creamy way and the grains remain firm to the bite ("al dente").

Carnaroli rice, a medium-grained and so-called superfino variety, contains an even higher starch content than Arborio. This variety is a classic choice for risotto in certain parts of northern Italy.

Buy arborio rice in the packaged grain section of your health food or grocery store. It is also sold in bulk at many health food stores. When buying bulk arborio rice, look for intact kernels that aren't broken, scratched, or damaged.