Mushroom Risotto

Method

1. Put the dried porcini in a small bowl, pour over the hot water and soak for 20 min. Meanwhile, wipe the mushrooms clean with damp paper towel (washed mushrooms soak up water) and slice them 5 mm thick. Finely chop the onion (3 mm dice), thinly slice the garlic, chop the parsley and grate the cheese. Cut the butter into 1 cm cubes and keep it in the fridge.

   Add in this stepDried porcini mushrooms 8 gHot water (for soaking the porcini) 150 ml

2. Lift the porcini out, squeezing them over the bowl, and chop them finely. Pour the soaking water through a sieve lined with paper towel, leaving the last spoonful in the bowl where the grit settles. Heat the stock in a 16 cm pot over high heat for 6 min until it steams, then turn it down to low heat to keep it hot. Hot stock keeps the rice cooking evenly; cold stock stops it every time you add some.

   Add in this stepVegetable or chicken stock 650 ml

   high heat→low heat

3. Heat half the oil in a wide, heavy 24 cm pan over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms, spread them out and leave them alone for 1 minute, then stir and cook for 7 min. They first release water; keep going until it has evaporated and the mushrooms are golden. Add the garlic and chopped porcini, cook for 1 min until fragrant, season with a pinch of salt and tip everything onto a plate.

   Add in this stepExtra virgin olive oil ¾ tbspCremini or button mushrooms 250 gGarlic cloves 1Salt to taste

   medium-high heat

4. Put the remaining oil in the same pan, add the onion and a pinch of salt and cook over medium heat for 4 min, stirring, until soft and translucent but not browned.

   Add in this stepExtra virgin olive oil ¾ tbspOnion 60 gSalt to taste

   medium heat

5. Add the rice and stir over medium heat for 2 min until the grains are hot, coated in oil and translucent at the edges with a white dot in the centre. This toasting (tostatura) helps the grains keep their shape. Pour in the wine and stir for 1 min until it has been absorbed and the sharp smell of alcohol has gone.

   Add in this stepRisotto rice (Carnaroli or Arborio) 160 gDry white wine 60 ml

   medium heat

6. Pour in the strained porcini water and stir until absorbed. Then add the hot stock one ladle (about 100 ml) at a time, stirring often, and add the next ladle only when the rice is almost dry: a spoon dragged across the pan should leave a clear trail that slowly closes. Keep a gentle bubble over medium heat. Stir the mushrooms back in halfway and cook for 17 min in total. Start tasting near the end: the rice is ready when it is tender with a slight firm bite in the centre. If you run out of stock, use hot water.

   medium heat

7. Take the pan off the heat, add a last splash of stock, the cold butter and the cheese, and beat vigorously with a wooden spoon until glossy and creamy (this is the mantecatura). Cover and rest for 1 min, then season with salt and stir in the parsley and plenty of pepper. Serve at once on warm plates: the risotto should spread slowly like a wave (all'onda), not stand in a mound.

   Add in this stepCold butter (for finishing) 20 gParmigiano Reggiano, finely grated 40 gSalt to tasteFlat-leaf parsley, chopped 2 tbspFreshly ground black pepper to taste