This beany risotto, an Italian equivalent of rice and beans, resembles risotto rustì but has tomato and pancetta added. If you cannot find borlotti, which are known as Cranberry Beans in the US (they're medium sized, and light tan with abundant brown spots), use kidney beans or Mexican black beans, which look very different but are similar in flavor. The recipe is Lombard, and will serve 6.
Prep Time: 1 hours, 20 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (400 g) Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice
- 10 ounces (250 g) freshly shelled borlotti (figure a third less by weight if you're using dried beans.
- 2 1/2 ounces (60 g) pancetta, ground in a mortar
- 1/2 pound (225 g) plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded and chopped
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Half a glass of dry red wine, warmed
- Beef broth, simmering (about a quart, use lightly salted bullion if need be)
- Freshly grated Grana Padano (the "lesser" cousin of Parmigiano)
- Salt & freshly ground pepper
Preparation:
Boil the beans in abundant lightly salted water until they're done but still firm (this will take about 1/2 hour with fresh beans). Drain them and set them aside. In the meantime, bring the broth to a boil.Melt half the butter in a pot and sauté the ground pancetta and onion until the onion is golden. Stir in the tomatoes, cook for another couple of minutes, then add the drained beans, check seasoning, and cook, stirring, for a couple of minutes.
Now add the rice and heat through, then add the wine and cook until the liquid is evaporated, then begin to add broth a ladle at a time. As soon as the rice reaches the al dente stage stir in the remaining butter and the grated cheese, then serve.
With a tossed salad and a wine this will make a nice quick meal. Which wine? Something zesty; Massimo Gibellini's Tenuta Pederanza Lambrusco di Castelvetero Grasparossa comes to mind, as does Vercesi del Castellazzo's Bonarda.
