Putting The 'Fun' In Funghi

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Welcome back to Sophia's school of Italian cookery!

This week I shall be sharing my new found wisdom in the art of making a traditional mushroom risotto. This is one of my all time favourite dishes, so I was excited to be shown how to make it by my Italian adopt-a-nan. It's nice and easy to make and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do....

Ingredients:


• 20g (more or less) of dried mushrooms
• A small glass of white wine
• 1/2 a small glass of risotto rice per person
• Meat stock cubes/powder
• 1 white onion
• A good sized chunk of butter
• Salt and pepper for seasoning



Instructions:


• Atleast an hour before you want to start cooking, soak the mushrooms in a bowl of hot water
• When the mushrooms are ready prepare the meat stock using hot water and finely chop an onion
• Take the mushrooms out of the water and chp into smaller pieces
• Heat some oil in a big pan and when ready add the onions and mushrooms
• Stir and add a few spoonfuls of the stock
• Keep stirring and add some salt and pepper to taste
• Simmer for 10-15 minutes
• When done turn up the heat, add the rice and the small glass of white wine
• Stir some more and keep adding more stock gradually as it evaporates
• Simmer and stir, adding more stock
• Keep going in this way for another 10 minutes or so until it is ready (there should be some liquid remaining with the rice for flavour and texture)
• Taste the rice, when it is ready it will be 'al dente' (be careful not to overcook it)
• When you are satisified it is finished, add the butter and stir in on a low heat until it has all melted
• Serve with grated Paresan cheese and enjoy!
• Finish off the rest of the white wine (you know you want to!)

More next week,

Soph

XxX

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