DinnerInTenMinutes.com

Risotto is a traditional Italian rice dish and I’m going to explain how to make risotto in ten minutes!

Now, I know what you’re thinking.  How on earth can you make risotto in ten minutes? Don’t you have to stand and stir it for hours and hours?

Well, a professional chef might do that, but I’m not a professional chef and I’ve found a very quick way of making risotto without the stand-and-stir 🙂

Serve with home made Garlic Bread. You might also like to make your own Fried Rice.

To make things simple I use a cup measure.  The cup should hold approx 8 fl oz/250 ml of liquid.

This recipe will serve around 4 people.

Here goes:-

How to make Risotto – Basic Ingredients

• 1 onion – chopped
• 1 or 2 garlic cloves – crushed
• 2 tablespoons oil for frying (I use olive oil)
• 2 cups risotto rice – arborio rice
• 4 cups boiling water (or use chicken stock /veggie stock)
• Approx 2 cups chopped tomatoes from a tin
• Small tin anchovies (approx 15 anchovies) – chopped
• To Serve – Parmesan cheese, chopped fresh parsley, wedges of fresh lemon and cracked pepper

Optional Extra Ingredients

Choose from the following:

• Add 2 handfuls of peeled prawns (cooked or uncooked)
• Add 2 small white fish fillets (no bones) – chopped
• Add 1 cup of chopped feta or firm goat’s cheese – add at end of cooking and stir
• Add a cup of frozen peas or corn – or both
• Add 2 handfuls of chopped mushrooms (use different varieties)
• Lightly fry some scallops and place on top at the end of cooking
• Use your imagination and try other things too

How to make Risotto – Method

1. Set oven to moderate heat
2. Using a large saucepan, fry the onion in oil until soft
3. Add garlic and fry for another minute
4. With heat quite high, add the rice and stir for a good minute or two
5. Carefully add the boiling water, chopped tomatoes, anchovies and any extra ingredients (prawns, fish, peas, corn etc)
6. Stir and bring to the boil
7. Carefully pour the mixture into a casserole dish (the risotto will double in size, so make sure the dish is big enough)
8. Cover with lid and cook in oven for 20-30 minutes
9. Serve at the table with grated Parmesan, chopped fresh parsley, wedges of fresh lemon and cracked pepper

Handy Hints and Variations

• If you think the risotto is looking a bit too dry, or the rice is not quite cooked, just add some extra boiling water (or stock) and cook for a few extra minutes
• The risotto is cooked when the rice has just a little bit of a texture in it – it shouldn’t be too mushy
• If you’re adding chopped feta or goat’s cheese, do this at the very end, otherwise the cheese will completely melt
• Check out ‘optional extra ingredients’ above for variations
• Make some Garlic Bread to serve on the side

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Jan Littlehales

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