Risotto ai funghi porcini (Porcini mushrooms risotto)

Servings: 4

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Ingredients

1 ½ cups (320 g) Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano rice
6 cups (1.5 L) vegetable stock
10 ½ oz (300 g) porcini mushrooms
3 tbsp (50 ml) white wine
1 cup (100 g) grated Parmigiano Reggiano
3 ½ tbsp (50 g) butter
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp fresh parsley (chopped)
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Instructions

Prepare the mushrooms
Fresh porcini: Brush away dirt with a soft brush or wipe the stem ends with a slightly damp cloth. Trim the very bottom of the stems and wipe any remaining grit — avoid soaking the mushrooms because they absorb water and can become soggy. If you do rinse them briefly, pat them dry immediately with paper towels. Slice the mushrooms whole (don’t separate head from stem).
Dried porcini: Soak in warm water for 10–15 minutes. Once rehydrated, lift the mushrooms out and strain the soaking liquid through a fine mesh sieve lined with a coffee filter or a paper towel to remove any grit. Reserve the strained liquid to flavour the stock (but don’t add it unstrained).
Sauté the mushrooms
Cut 1 garlic clove in half, remove the green germ, then finely chop. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and fry gently for a few seconds — don’t let it burn. Add the sliced porcini and sauté until browned. Season with a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
Start the risotto (tostatura — toasting)
In a large, wide pan, melt a little butter or add a splash of olive oil, then add the rice. Cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the grains are glossy and slightly translucent at the edges.
Sfumatura (deglazing)
Pour in the white wine (3 tbsp / 50 ml) and stir until it has mostly evaporated and the rice has absorbed the flavour.
Cottura (cooking)
Begin adding hot vegetable stock (6 cups / 1.5 L) a ladle at a time. Keep the stock simmering in a separate pot. Add one or two ladles, stir gently and continuously, and wait until the rice absorbs most of the liquid before adding more. If using rehydrated porcini, add some of the reserved strained soaking liquid mixed into the stock for extra flavour (but don’t add any sediment). Continue this process until the rice is ‘al dente’ (usually about 16–18 minutes, depending on rice variety).
Combine with mushrooms
When the rice is just al dente, stir in the sautéed porcini. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Mantecatura (creaming / finishing)
Remove the pan from the heat. Add 3½ tbsp (50 g) butter and 1 cup (100 g) grated Parmigiano Reggiano. Stir vigorously, then gently shake the pan back and forth to create the wave (l’onda) — the risotto should look glossy, silky, and coated in a creamy sauce. If needed, add a splash of hot stock or reserved mushroom liquid to loosen the texture.
Serve & garnish
Plate immediately and finish with a little extra grated Parmigiano and 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot.

Notes

Tips

Keep the stock hot throughout so you don’t cool the rice when adding liquid. Use a wide pan so the rice has room to release starch — it helps create a creamier result. If the sauce seems too loose after mantecatura, let it sit for a minute off the heat; if it’s too thick, stir in a little hot stock.