White risotto with pesto sauce
This recipe won't take much time. Authentic Italian risotto is based on Arborio or Carnaroli rice. However, we can also use regular short-grain rice, such as Krasnodar rice. However strange it may sound, you should not rinse the rice before cooking risotto, as the starch on its surface is what gives the dish its creamy, smooth consistency. Finely chop the onion, garlic, and celery, and heat up chicken, fish, or vegetable broth. Pour olive oil into a frying pan, adding a small cube of butter for a more delicate flavor. Add the chopped onion, garlic, and celery. Cook over low heat for 15 minutes. The vegetables should become soft but not browned. Then add the dry rice to the pan and, stirring constantly, cook over high heat. Soon after adding the rice, it will become translucent. A couple of minutes later, add dry white wine, continuing to stir. The wine will give the rice a special aroma and a pleasant tangy taste. When the wine has almost evaporated, pour in a ladleful of hot broth and season with salt to taste. Now is the time to reduce the heat. For the next 15 minutes, keep stirring the risotto and adding broth one ladle at a time, each time waiting until the liquid has been fully absorbed. It's important that the rice becomes tender but does not turn into a mushy porridge. When the rice is cooked, add 70 g of butter and Parmesan cheese. Stir thoroughly and cover with a lid for a couple of minutes. Finally, spoon the risotto onto plates, sprinkle with Parmesan, add pesto sauce to taste, and serve immediately! Risotto is especially delicious while still warm. Serve hot.
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