A rice-based dish from the northern provinces of Italy; rice is to the people of northern Italy what pasta is to those of the south.
Risotto should be made with either arborio, carnaroli, vialone nano, roma or baldo rice, most of which are grown along the Po River Valley in Italy’s north. These rices can absorb liquid and stand up to long, slow cooking without becoming soft and mushy. The perfect risotto should be a creamy mass, with each grain having a slightly resistant core to the bite. It can be served plain, flavoured simply with butter and cheese, or more elaborately with such ingredients as mushrooms, tomatoes, meat, poultry, seafood or chicken livers, to name a few.
Risotto is usually served as a dish on its own with grated parmesan cheese passed separately. One exception to this rule is risotto Milanese, which is served as an accompaniment to osso buco Milanese.