The market · Grains and flours · Southern Europe

Risotto rice

Short, fat Italian grains with a firm core and plenty of surface starch, which rubs off into the stock as you stir.

creamy · starchy

What to do with it

Classics built on it
ItalianAranciniBalls or cones of cooked rice around a filling of ragù or ham and cheese, breadcrumbed and fried until crisp.No one here has made it yet

Kinds

Arborio
The easiest to find; softer, and can turn mushy.
Carnaroli
Firmer, holds its bite; many cooks' first choice.
Vialone Nano
Smaller and absorbent; the Veneto's choice for a looser risotto.

Goes with

parmesanbutterwhite winesaffron

Knowing it

Where to buy
Italian delis and supermarkets.
Worth knowing
Don't rinse it — the starch is the point. Toast it in the fat until the edges turn translucent before the wine goes in.

Kitchens that keep it in

ItalyItalianNot one cuisine but twenty regional ones, united by a respect for a few very good ingredients and the argument about how each dish is 'really' made.11 classics

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