In northern Italy rice is as important as pasta. Try this classic Italian dish.

When I lived in Vicenza, Italy, my landlord would often come to eat. He especially enjoyed my risotto, saying it was as good as his mother's. The highest praise!

Risotto can be simple or elaborate. The flavors and additions are up to you. It can be a quick dish made after a busy day at work, or served to company with a great veal dish. Risotto does take a bit more attention than cooking pasta. It is a gentler process, requiring simmering rather than boiling.

Heat a little olive oil and/or butter in a frying pan. You can use either or both. I usually use olive oil. When the oil is hot, sauté half a chopped onion. Sauté the onion until it's soft and golden.

Add 4 oz of rice per person as a main dish, or 2 oz of rice if serving as a side dish. Sauté the rice for a few minutes. Make certain the rice is well coated with oil.

Have 3-5 cups chicken broth ready. If you need to use bullion cubes, try and find porcini mushroom bullion cubes. Canned or homemade broth is best. You are not going to add all broth at one time. Add the broth slowly, about 1/3 cup at a time. Enough so that the rice stays wet, but never so much that it completely covers the rice. You don't want to see large amounts of liquid in the pan. When the rice has absorbed all the liquid from the last addition, add another one. Keep stirring. Be patient and keep the heat on simmer. You should hear the steam when you add the broth, but the rice shouldn't stick.

What happens if you use all the broth and you still need more liquid? Glad you asked. This is the place for the white wine. Add a cup or two, 1/3 cup at a time, to the rice. Stirring and simmering just as you did with the chicken broth. Do not use red wine. You will have pink risotto. If you don't drink wine use more chicken broth.

When the rice is almost completely done add the final ingredients. I like a little saffron and Parmesan cheese. Let it set for a few moments. Many Italians like to add a little butter or oil at this stage. It helps to create a creamier risotto.

Additional ingredients can be added when you put in the cheese. There are some simple additions. Spinach works well. If you use frozen, chopped spinach, add it earlier in the cooking cycle, decreasing the amount of chicken broth needed. Fresh asparagus can also be added earlier in the cooking process. The heated broth will blanch the asparagus. You can add cooked shrimp or chicken at the end phase.

Don't be disheartened if your risotto comes out too hard the first time. Try again. This is one advantage to creating a simple risotto the first time. You can always let the rice cook a little more. Risotto is a fine dish for the fall and winter months. It's basic, filling, and comforting. You can serve it to your meat loving friends or vegetarians. Just remember, as with your friends and family, you need gentleness and patience.

If you enjoyed this recipe, you may want to try other Italian rice recipes.