Whenever your vacation ends, you’ll likely feel nostalgic for the places you visited; with our gift, you can at least relive their flavors. If there is one dish that perfectly embodies Milan, it is undoubtedly Risotto alla Milanese. It is a sophisticated first course with a stunning golden-yellow hue, an incredibly creamy texture, and a flavor that envelops your palate from the very first bite. Making the perfect risotto might seem like a task reserved for Michelin-starred chefs, but in reality, you simply need to follow a few key steps and take your time. Here is the ultimate recipe for making it at home just like they do in Milan’s best trattorias!
The ingredients you need To serve four people, you need just a few items, but they must be of the highest quality. Get 320 grams of Carnaroli rice (the king of risotto rice, as it holds its texture perfectly during cooking), about 1 liter of good homemade meat broth (beef or capon is best), one sachet of powdered saffron plus a few saffron threads for presentation, half a finely chopped white onion, half a glass of dry white wine, about 80 grams of high-quality butter (divided into two portions), and a generous handful of grated Parmigiano Reggiano. If you want to make the truly traditional "Old Milan" version, pick up a knob of beef marrow as well—though it tastes amazing even without it!
Step 1: The *soffritto* and toasting the rice
Place a saucepan on the stove and melt the first half of the butter together with the finely chopped onion (and the marrow, if you’ve decided to use it).
Sauté over very low heat: the onion needs to become soft and translucent without ever burning or browning! At this point, turn up the heat slightly and add the dry rice. This is the toasting stage: stir the rice for a couple of minutes until the grains look glossy and translucent. You’ll catch a faint, toasty aroma—that’s the sign that the rice is sealed and will hold its shape during cooking without falling apart.Step 2: Deglazing and slow cooking
Now that the rice is nice and hot, pour in the dry white wine and let the alcohol evaporate while stirring vigorously. As soon as the wine has cooked off, start adding the boiling broth, one ladleful at a time. This is the real trick to risotto: the rice should always "bubble gently" in the broth, never drown in it! Add another ladleful only when the previous one has been almost completely absorbed by the rice. Continue this process for about 15–18 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. With about 5 minutes of cooking time left, take your sachet of saffron, dissolve it in a small cup with a little hot broth, and pour it into the rice: you’ll see the risotto magically transform into that incredible, brilliant yellow!
Step 3: *Mantecatura* (the real secret!)
When the rice is *al dente* and has absorbed the right amount of broth (it should still be slightly fluid—or *all'onda*, meaning neither too dry nor too runny), turn off the heat completely. This is the most important step: the *mantecatura* (the final creaming). Add the remaining butter—straight from the fridge—and all the grated Parmesan. Stir vigorously for a minute to incorporate air and create that heavenly, creamy texture. Then, cover the pot with a lid and let it rest—with the heat turned off—for a couple of minutes.
Serve it on flat plates, giving the bottom of each plate a good tap with your hand to help the risotto spread out evenly. Garnish with a few saffron threads on top and get ready to enjoy a spectacular taste of Milan!
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