Asparagus Risotto: Authentic Italian Recipes

Risotto is a traditional Italian rice dish cooked with broth and flavoured with parmesan cheese and other ingredients, which can include meat, fish, or vegetables. The name means literally “little rice” and it is one of the most common ways of cooking rice in Italy. Its origins are in northern Italy, where rice paddies are abundant. Risottos are made using short-grain with the stock being added gradually while the rice is stirred constantly. The cooking technique leads the rice to release its starch, giving the finished dish a creamy texture. Risotto can be made using many kinds of vegetable, meat, fish, seafood and legumes, and different types of wine and cheese may be used. One of the most popular risotto in Italy is just asparagus risotto that requires and light white wine and parmigiano reggiano cheese in order to exalt its flavour. 

Preparation time: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Difficulty: Medium

In order to make your asparagus risotto really tasty you need some typical Italian products, such extra virgin olive oil, rise and parmigiano reggiano cheese. Try to buy them in an Italian shop or buy them in an Italian food store online.

- 600 g asparagus

- 80 g butter

- 1 small onion

- ¼ extra virgin olive oil

- 1 kg Arborio rise

- 100 g parmigiano reggiano cheese

- salt and pepper to taste

- vegetale broth

- 2 glasses of white wine

Step 1: Prepare the asparagus by breaking off discarding the tough ends and your asparagus are especially large, cut into smaller pieces. 

Step 2: Clean and boil them for 2 minutes, until a fork easily penetrates the tip of a spear. 

Step 3: Use a slotted spoon to remove the asparagus pieces and put them into an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Drain from the ice water bath and set aside. 

Step 4: In a pan, heat butter or extra virgin olive oil with an onion on medium heat. 

Step 5: Add the rice and cook for few minutes, adding gradually the white wine, allowing the rice to absorb it.

Step 6: Once the wine is almost completely absorbed, add 1/2 cup of stock to the rice. Continue to stir until the liquid is almost completely absorbed, adding more stock in 1/2 cup increments. Stir often to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan! 

Step 7: Check seasoning and continue cooking the rice till it’s al dente. 

Step 8: Sprinkle the parmigiano reggiano cheese over it. Add salt and pepper to taste.

 

Step 9: Happy meal and enjoy your asparagus risotto!