Risotto with Bell Peppers: Bell pepper risotto is a specialty from Voghera, a city in the southern side of the Po Valley, between Piacenza and Alessandria. The region is famed for its peppers, which are also very good grilled with bagna caoda. The recipe serves six. You'll need:
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (400 g) Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice
- 1/2 pound (225 grams ) bell peppers, preferably yellow
- 6 ounces (150 g) ripe plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled and seeded
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- A medium onion, minced
- Freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano
- Salt & freshly ground pepper
- Beef broth, simmering (about a quart, use lightly salted vegetable or beef bullion if need be)
Preparation:
Begin by washing the peppers, coring them, and discarding ribs and seeds. Then flame them to blister the skins (a broiler makes this operation quite easy), peel them and cut them into thin strips.
Sauté half the minced onion in just a dab of butter, and when it has gilded add the tomato pulp, breaking up the pieces with your fingers. Check seasoning and simmer over a low flame stirring repeatedly, and then the sauce is somewhat reduced add the pepper strips. Cook for a minute more and then cover the pot and turn off the flame.
Set another pot on the fire and sauté the remaining onion in half the remaining butter. As soon as the onion is a light golden remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon, turn the heat up slightly, and stir the rice into the drippings. Continue cooking for several minutes, stirring constantly lest the rice stick. Return the onion to the pot and begin adding hot broth, a ladle full at a time. When the rice is half cooked add the tomato and pepper mixture. Continue stirring in broth until the rice is at the al dente stage, stir the remaining butter and grated cheese to taste into the pot, and serve.
The wine? I'd go with a white, for example a Valcalepio Bianco.
Sauté half the minced onion in just a dab of butter, and when it has gilded add the tomato pulp, breaking up the pieces with your fingers. Check seasoning and simmer over a low flame stirring repeatedly, and then the sauce is somewhat reduced add the pepper strips. Cook for a minute more and then cover the pot and turn off the flame.
Set another pot on the fire and sauté the remaining onion in half the remaining butter. As soon as the onion is a light golden remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon, turn the heat up slightly, and stir the rice into the drippings. Continue cooking for several minutes, stirring constantly lest the rice stick. Return the onion to the pot and begin adding hot broth, a ladle full at a time. When the rice is half cooked add the tomato and pepper mixture. Continue stirring in broth until the rice is at the al dente stage, stir the remaining butter and grated cheese to taste into the pot, and serve.
The wine? I'd go with a white, for example a Valcalepio Bianco.
