Old World Italian
A few weeks ago, I set out to making several recipes from Mimi Thorisson’s latest cookbook: Old World Italian.
Old World Italian Menu
Antipasta
Cured meats, young pecorino cheese from Lina in London and pears. Served alongside with an Italian prosecco.
Primi
Risotto Milanese. Paired with an Italian white wine
Secondi
Polpette al Forno con Mozzarella (Meatballs in a tomato sauce with mozzarella). Paired with a red Pinotage wine
Rosemary Foccacia
Contorni
Caponata di Melanzane (Eggplant Caponata)
Dolce
Torta di Ricotta (Ricotta Cheesecake) paired with a Vin Santo dessert wine
Below is a recipe from the book for Risotto Milanese. It’s found in restaurants all over the Lombardy region but especially in Milan. It is a simple yet rich risotto make with saffron. It’s taste is Old World.. it is of another world.
Brought by the Moors and Saracens after they settled in Europe, rice was introduced in Italy as early as the 13th century. From there, it spread to the Naples area and later, due to the connections between the Aragona of Naples and the Sforza of Milan, to the Po Valley in northern Italy, where it found the ideal conditions to be grown: flat lands, abundance of water, and humidity.
Still today, the Po Valley is one of the largest rice producers in Europe and rice is eaten extensively throughout northern Italy.
From the 13th to the 17th centuries, rice was only cooked in boiling water. The first change took place in 1779, when rice was sautèe in a little butter and wet with broth. Later, chopped onion was added.
1809 is when the recipe for “riso giallo (yellow) in padella” first appears in a cookbook. The rice is sautée in butter, beef bone marrow and onion. Hot broth is added in which saffron is dissolved. In 1929, the Milanese chef Felice Luraschi finally gives the dish its name, ‘risotto alla Milanese giallo’ meaning Milan yellow rice. His recipe calls for rice, fat, beef marrow, saffron, nutmeg and stock, flavored at the end with grated cheese.
Risotto Milanese
2 Cups of beef stock
5 1/2 Tbs butter
1 Medium onion, as finely chopped as possible
1 Cup carnaroli rice
1/2 tsp saffron threads
2 Tbs white wine
Generous 1/2 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
In a medium saucepan, bring the stock to a simmer over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low to keep the stock at a simmer.
In a large, heavy saucepan, heat half of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and sweat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the rice, saffron threads, and wine and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook until the wine is absorbed, about 2 minutes.
Gradually begin adding the hot stock by the ladleful, stirring constantly, adding more to keep the rice covered at al times. Repeat this process until the rice is creamy but still al dente, 15-20 minutes.
Remove the risotto from the heat. Add the remaining butter and the Parmigiano, stirring vigorously to make the risotto creamier. Serve immediately.
Bon Appetito!
