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Risotto with Peas & Prosciutto

What you need

  1. 1/4 cup butter (or butter and olive oil combined)
  2. 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  3. 1 large clove garlic, minced
  4. 2 1/2 cups arborio rice
  5. 2-3 cups fresh english peas
  6. 6-8 oz. proscuitto - have it cut about 1/2 inch thick
  7. 3/4 cup dry white wine
  8. 1/2 tsp saffron
  9. 6 - 8 cups chicken broth
  10. 1 tbl butter
  11. 1 cup freshly grated romano cheese, divided
  12. salt to taste

How to make it

  1. Heat chicken broth in a saucepan - keep warm - add peas
  2. Add saffron to white wine and heat
  3. Dice proscuitto into 1/4 inch pieces
  4. Melt 4 tbl butter in large saute pan
  5. When butter foams, add onion & proscuitto
  6. Sauté over medium heat until onion is pale yellow (do not brown) and proscuitto is a bit crisp
  7. Add rice and mix thoroughly until well coated with butter
  8. Add hot wine
  9. When rice has absorbed all wine, add enough broth to cover the rice (approx. 1/2 - 1 cup) - try to avoid adding peas at this time
  10. Stir over medium heat until broth is absorbed
  11. Continue this process adding broth a little at a time
  12. When most of the broth has been added, add the peas to the rice and finish cooking
  13. Cook until rice is tender, but not mushy - about 20 minutes in total. When rice is cooked to taste the dish should be slightly saucy.
  14. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup parmesan cheese and 1 tbl butter. The starch from the rice is going to continue to thicken the dish while hot
  15. Serve immediately with fresh parmesan

If the heat under the pan is too high, you'll end up evaporating off the liquid instead of the rice absorbing it. If it's too low, it will take too long and you'll probably end up with mush. Consider how your cooktop works before you start and adjust accordingly.

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