Fragrant and fresh tasting, this is basil risotto, made with dry toasting, without sautéing, which makes it light yet delicious and refined. It’s a very, very easy recipe, vegetarian, ideal even for a special occasion or a Sunday lunch.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 20 Minutes
- Portions: 2 servings
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, Spring, Summer and Fall
Ingredients
- 4 oz Risotto rice
- 15 leaves Basil
- 2 cups Water
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Yellow onion
- 1 stalk Celery
- to taste Fine salt
- to taste Turmeric powder
- to taste Grana Padano cheese
Preparation
1) Prepare a light broth with some yellow onion (which has a more delicate and aromatic flavor), carrot, 5 torn basil leaves, a pinch of turmeric, celery, and coarse salt to taste. Bring to a boil and let the broth cook for no more than 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and remove the vegetables.
2) Heat a saucepan over low heat without adding any fat. Once hot, pour in the rice (carnaroli, vialone nano) and let it toast until it becomes very hot (touch it occasionally), stirring continuously; the rice should remain white and not burn. It’s important that the pan is large enough to distribute the rice evenly across the bottom for uniform toasting.
3) When the rice is toasted, slowly (be careful of hot splashes) pour in a generous ladleful of boiling broth, continuing to stir. Add more broth before the previous one is completely absorbed. It’s essential to keep stirring the rice continuously to prevent it from having undercooked grains. Reduce the amount of broth as the risotto reaches doneness.
4) When the rice is plump and tastes slightly al dente, turn off the heat, move it away from the stove and cover it. Let it rest for about 2 minutes, then add the remaining finely torn basil leaves and grated Grana cheese, mix well and serve immediately.
Bon appetit
