Risotto con Salsiccia

Ingredients

• ½ lb Italian sausage, removed from casing
• 1 cup arborio or carnaroli rice
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• ½ medium onion, finely diced
• ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Pour the broth into a medium saucepan and place it on the stove over medium-high heat; leave it there to stay hot throughout cooking — you will ladle from it as the risotto cooks.

2. 2

   Finely dice the onion until the pieces are about the size of a small pea — it should take 2 to 3 minutes with a sharp knife and cutting board.

3. 3

   Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a large wide saucepan or shallow pot and place it over medium-high heat until the oil shimmers and moves quickly when you tilt the pan, about 90 seconds.

4. 4

   Add the sausage to the hot oil, breaking it into small pieces (roughly the size of a grape) with the back of a wooden spoon as it cooks, until it turns brown and no pink remains inside, about 5 to 6 minutes.

5. 5

   Add the diced onion to the cooked sausage and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the onion becomes translucent and soft, about 2 to 3 minutes — you should be able to easily squash a piece between two spoon edges.

6. 6

   Pour in 1 cup of the hot broth and stir constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid and the bottom just begins to look dry, about 3 to 4 minutes.

7. 7

   Pour in another 1 cup of hot broth and repeat the constant stirring and scraping motion for 3 to 4 minutes, until the liquid is mostly absorbed again — the rice should still feel firm when you bite into a grain.

8. 8

   Add the remaining 2 cups of broth in two additions: pour in 1 cup, stir constantly for 3 to 4 minutes, then pour in the final cup and stir until the rice is creamy and tender but still has a slight firmness at its center when you bite it, about 3 to 4 minutes more.

9. 9

   Remove the pan from the heat and immediately sprinkle in 0.75 cup of finely grated Parmesan cheese, then stir vigorously with a wooden spoon for 1 minute until the cheese melts completely and the risotto becomes even creamier and glossy.

10. 10

    Taste a small spoonful and add salt and pepper until it tastes savory and delicious to you — risotto absorbs salt slowly, so taste before adding more.

11. 11

    Divide the risotto into two deep bowls or plates immediately while it is still hot and creamy — risotto begins to thicken and cool as soon as it sits.

Tools you’ll need

• medium saucepan
• large wide saucepan or shallow pot (3-4 quart capacity)
• wooden spoon
• cutting board
• chef's knife
• box grater or microplane

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