How to Make Risotto

Risotto isn’t as popular as pasta in Italy, but in some regions in the north of the country, where rice is produced, it’s actually consumed in greater quantities. Let’s not forget: more rice is eaten around the world than any other food.

If you dig deep enough into local Italian traditions, you will find that there is more than one way to cook risotto rice, but all of them share the same fundamental steps to make it right. It all starts with choosing the right grains. You can’t make risotto with long grain rice; it will break and not retain its shape. You need a specific shorter rice that holds its shape – one with a high starch content and a better resistance to absorbing liquid. Often you find it labelled simply as risotto rice, but if that isn’t available, the closest alternative is sushi rice.