Risotto con Fagioli or Prosciutto and White Bean Risotto
Total time: 25 minutes
'Risotto con Fagioli ' You could use any type of ham, but the salted, air cured Prosciutto-type is traditional. You don't need very much to add a lot of flavor.
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup (4.2oz, 125gr) Arborio rice (or other rice specifically for risotto - Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
- 1/2 cup (4oz, 120ml) dry, white wine
- 2 1/4 cups (18oz, 540ml) chicken stock
- 1/2 onion other half for the condimenti
- 1 tbs butter
- 3/4 cup (2oz, 60gr) Parmesan cheese - freshly grated
- Condimenti:
- 4 slices Prosciutto, 3oz (90gr) substitute regular ham, cubed
- 1/2 onion, chopped
- 2 tomatoes
- 15oz (450gr) white beans, (cannellini)
- 1 tbs olive oil
Instructions:
- Heat chicken stock and keep hot over low heat.
- Finely chop onion.
- In medium sauce pan heat butter; add 1/2 of the onion and sauté until transparent then add rice and sauté, stirring, for 2 - 3 minutes until rice has white center. Add white wine and stir.
- Start condimenti.
- When wine is almost absorbed add a 1/3 cup of stock, stir. (No need to stir constantly but do stir from time to time.) When stock is almost absorbed add another 1/3 cup and continue adding 1/3 cup at a time and stirring. Before you add the last 1/3 cup taste a few kernels of rice. They should be just 'al dente' - slightly resistant to the tooth but fully cooked. If more stock is needed add it 1 tbs at a time and waiting until almost completely absorbed. At this point risotto will be thick but not stiff - there will still be visible liquid and it will not hold it's shape on a plate. Add the Parmesan and the condimenti, stir well, pour into a bowl or risotto platter and serve immediately. It will continue to absorb liquid and the leftovers (if any) will be quite stiff. The risottos that we have eaten in northern Italy have all been served in soup plates (flattish bowls) and eaten with a spoon - not a fork.
- Condimenti:
- While risotto is cooking, heat oil in small skillet.
- Add the rest of the onion and sauté until tender.
- Roughly chop Prosciutto and add to onions.
- Roughly chop tomato and add to ham & onions. Turn heat to low and allow to simmer until tomatoes are well-cooked, then add white beans and heat through. Keep warm until needed for risotto.