There is no doubt that in recent years risotto has become one of the most popular dishes of Mediterranean cuisine - loved by almost everyone with its intense taste and various combinations in which rice and vegetables, seafood and cheese are absorbed by the aroma of white wine in a creamy spectacle of flavors and textures.
And when it comes to texture, risotto has a specific one without which it would not be authentic and that is its creaminess.
The main role and culprit for this is the rice, which risotto is prepared with. It must be high in starch, hard-grained, short, round-grained, very stable and although it releases a lot of starch and absorbs a lot of liquid, it must retain its shape and hard core al dente.
The rice varieties that meet this description and are perfect for risotto are Arborio and Carnaroli.
The Italians define the creaminess of a risotto as obligatory, but at the same time the rice in it should have a hard core and a fluffy texture.
It is these varieties that allow this, because their grains have a high starch content, which is released due to prolonged stirring, but still remain hard, do not disintegrate and have the ability to absorb large amounts of liquid without deforming or sticking and absorb the taste of the broth itself, which makes the dish even tastier and irresistible.
Arborio and Carnaroli belong to a class of the so-called Japanese varieties and although they are used for the same thing, they have their small differences.
Arborio comes from a town called Arborio in Verselli (Italy), hence its name. It has been known since 1946. Its grains are perfectly white, firm, stable, short and round. It contains 18% amelose (the starch molecule).
Carnaroli, on the other hand, originated not only from Verseli but also from Novara (again in Italy, of course) and was known about 1 year before Arborio. Its grains are identical, but contain a higher percentage of starch, which makes it even better for preparing a real risotto. You can choose which of the two varieties would suit your preferences.
There are a few important principles to successfully cook risotto with these varieties of rice.
- When adding the broth, it should be hot and poured in portions with constant stirring to help separate the starch.
- The boiling time should not exceed 15-18 minutes, in order for it to have brittle al dente grains wrapped in a creamy substance.
- The final finish is achieved by adding parmesan and butter, which makes the texture even more creamy when they melt and merge.
- It is consumed immediately after its preparation and is never left to cool and shouldn't be reheated afterwards.
Cook as many servings as you can eat in that moment.
Recipes for different types of risotto are available on our website. Choose yours according to your preferences and the products you have. Just don't compromise on the rice and use Arborio or Carnaroli, so that you have an authentic and perfect result.
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