Today we’re preparing a truly special risotto with broccoli rabe, anchovies, and burrata. It’s very easy to make, with an enveloping taste and a “wow” presentation!
The broccoli rabe risotto is an unexpected first course! It’s really simple to prepare, but its goodness will win you over with the first bite!
To make a good risotto, you must definitely start with the main character, the rice!
For this occasion, I played it safe by choosing Il Classico by Riso Flora. It’s a rice with characteristic amber-colored grains, versatile, with extraordinary cooking resistance, ready in just 10 minutes. Its excellent al dente texture makes it ideal for preparing a wide range of recipes, from salads to risottos, with a well-defined structure.
After carefully choosing the main ingredient of the recipe to enhance its characteristics, you need to focus on the ingredients that will enrich the dish.
In this case, I wanted to honor the Apulian culinary tradition with broccoli rabe and burrata, two ingredients that perfectly complement each other.
The broccoli rabe is widely used and popular in traditional southern cuisine, particularly in Apulia. They are eaten cooked, and we find them in many historically famous dishes such as the famous “orecchiette and broccoli rabe”, “stewed rabe with chili”, “fava beans and rabe”, and many others.
The burrata is a fresh pulled-curd cheese made with cow’s milk, originally from the city of Andria in Apulia. Since 2016, the burrata from Andria has been recognized by the European Union as having a protected geographical indication (PGI).
After these necessary premises, the only thing I can say is that this risotto is perfect if you want to impress someone at the table! Great for a Sunday lunch, a romantic dinner, or to serve during holidays and special occasions.
And since the upcoming holidays are getting closer, which are those Christmas ones, save the recipe and prepare this creamy risotto with broccoli rabe, burrata, and anchovies for Christmas Eve, it will be a great success!
But now let’s see together how to prepare this fantastic risotto, and if you love rice, don’t miss out on these delicious ideas as well!
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 2 servings
- Cooking methods: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter and Spring, All seasons
Ingredients
- broccoli rabe (weight after cooking about 5 oz; fresh or frozen)
- 3/4 cup rice (Flora Il Classico)
- 2 burrata (about 3.5-4.5 oz each)
- 1 oz anchovies in oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1.5 oz olive oil
- salt
- dried chili
- 1 clove garlic
- white wine (less than half a glass)
Tools
- Saucepan
- Lid
- Cutting Board
- Skimmer
- Frying Pan
- Ladle
Steps
First of all, you need to consider cleaning the broccoli rabe. When purchasing, be careful to choose a bunch with bright green leaves because if they are yellowish, they should be discarded, as they would have a bitter aftertaste.
Clean the broccoli rabe thoroughly by removing the tougher stems and larger leaves. Carefully detach the tops from the stem, being careful not to damage the flowers and leaves.
At this point, wash them well under water before proceeding to cooking. If the leaves and tops are particularly small, they can be cooked in a pan over low heat with a drop of water.
Otherwise, as I did, boil them in boiling water for about 5-10 minutes.
If the leaves are particularly large, it may take up to fifteen minutes, in which case I recommend cutting them into two or three pieces to better manage the space in the saucepan.I’ll share a trick I learned from my mom. As soon as you put them in the water, press the leaves down with a wooden spoon so they can be completely covered with water, and then cover immediately with a lid. This will prevent them from turning yellow.
Another trick is to place the cooked broccoli rabe in a bowl of ice water to maintain their bright green color.
Once boiled, drain well and save the cooking water.
Take a pan, pour a swirl of oil inside, add a garlic clove and a couple of anchovies. Then add the broccoli rabe and sauté them for just a few minutes.
We’re almost there! Let’s move on to cooking the rice.
In a high-sided saucepan, toast Riso Flora Il Classico dry, without adding liquids, over a very low flame.
Stir frequently with a ladle to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan, and when the grains become hot and white, deglaze with a drop of white wine.
Once it has evaporated, add a couple of ladles of broccoli rabe cooking water and let it cook, adding, if necessary, more water, little by little.
Halfway through cooking, add the sautéed broccoli rabe, remembering to set aside some tops for the final decoration.
When the rice is ready, turn off the heat, add a tablespoon of butter, and mix it in.
Arrange the rice on plates, decorate with the reserved tops and a few anchovies, and finally, the highlight!
Place a burrata in the center of each plate and drizzle a few drops of oil from the pan where you sautéed the rabe on top!
Finally, your fantastic risotto is ready to amaze everyone!
I hope you enjoyed this recipe, let me know in the comments if you try it!
Until next time, and bon appétit!
Article protected by copyright © – Gabriella Geroni © All Rights Reserved
