Stracchino and Speck Risotto - a creamy and cheesy risotto with a smokey flavour and crunchy Italian Speck.
Course
Main
Cuisine
Italian
Prep Time5minutes
Cook Time20minutes
Total Time25minutes
Servings4
AuthorManuela Zangara
Ingredients
320gms– 11 oz. riceArborio, Carnaroli or Vialone nano
½onionfinely chopped
2thick slices of Italian Speckcut in batons
2tbspextra virgin olive oil
60ml– ¼ cup white wine
1lt – 4 cups stockchicken or vegetable
6tbspGrana Padano or Parmigiano Reggianofinely grated
180gms– 6 oz. stracchinocubed
30gms– 2 tbsp butter
Salt to taste
Instructions
Fry in extra virgin olive oil 1/3 of the Speck batons until crunchy. Drain it well and put on a plate covered with kitchen paper to drain the excess oil.
Put the stock in a pot and heat it on the fire. The stock has to be hot all the time while you are cooking risotto, so that the rice temperature does not drop when you add it to it.
Put the finely chopped onion and the 2 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil in a pot and let it cook on a slow fire, until the onion becomes soft and transparent.
Add the rice, mix well and let it cook for 1 or 2 minutes, until it becomes translucent.
Now pour in the white wine and let the alcohol burn off by cooking on a high flame.
Then add enough hot stock to cover the rice and turn the fire to medium-low. Keep cooking, occasionally stirring the rice and adding hot stock little by little, until the rice is cooked. It is going to take approximately 18 to 20 minutes depending on the rice you are using.
After the first 12 minutes, add the raw Speck batons and keep cooking the rice.
When the rice is ready, put the fire off and add the butter, stracchino and grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Mix very well, until the rice becomes creamy.
Make sure that your risotto is moist (or, as we say, all’onda – which literally means wavy) and not sticky. You can do that by adding 1 or 2 extra tbsp of hot stock if needed. Check for salt and season to your liking.
Serve immediately with the crunchy Speck on the top.
Recipe Notes
Do not wash the rice before cooking it. You want to keep the starch in it, as that is what makes risotto naturally creamy.