Spring Vegetable Risotto with Riso Gallo Rustico

Risotto definitely isn’t just for winter, in fact I think a spring risotto is one of my favourites. I love creating a light, fresh risotto with lots of lovely seasonal vegetables like asparagus, peas and courgettes with some lemon juice to give it a zesty finish, and lift all the flavours which is balanced perfectly with the natural creaminess of the finished dish.

This recipe is using Riso Gallo’s Carnaroli Rustico, a semi-wholegrain brown rice. It has a fabulous texture when cooked, plus it’s higher fibre content makes it a great option for a healthy and balanced diet. That’s why it’s such a great choice for this spring risotto.

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Spring Vegetable Risotto with Asparagus and Peas

Servings: 3-4

Recipe by: Cooking & Carafes

Prep time: 5 MinCooking time: 30 MinTotal time: 35 Min

A favourite risotto recipe for seasonal veg such as asparagus, courgette and peas - it makes a delicious dinner on its own or to accompany grilled fish or seafood

Ingredients

• 300g of Carnaroli Rustico from Riso Gallo
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 bunch of asparagus, stalks chopped, keep the spears separate
• 1 courgette, quartered
• 1 cup of peas
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• Glass of white wine
• 1 litre of vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 tsp mixed herbs
• 30g Butter, or use olive oil
• 30g Parmesan, or alternative hard cheese
• Olive Oil

Instructions

1. Risottos always begin with a soffritto, for this recipe I am just using onion but you in others I often use celery and carrot too. We’re also going to use the asparagus stems in the initial stage of cooking.
2. Add 2tbsp of olive oil for your soffritto, add your onion and gently cook on a low heat. We don’t want to burn the onion so keep moving it and if needed you can add a splash of water. Allow the onion to cook for five minutes so it starts to soften.
3. Next add your asparagus stalks that are chopped into 1cm rounds and your courgette. Cook with the onion for a further five minutes.
4. Increase the heat add your risotto rice, this is the tostatura. This helps to cook the rice perfectly al dente, by sealing the grains of rice. Coat it in the olive oil, and keep the rice morning.
5. Next add a small glass of white wine (or vermouth), this helps to add a little acidity to give risotto its distinctive flavour. However, if you prefer not to cook with alcohol you can add splash of stock and stir the rice until all the liquid is absorbed.
6. Then add about 200ml or a ladleful of hot stock to the pan and continue to stir, until all the liquid is absorbed, and again add 200ml of stock and keep doing this for about 10 minutes. Keep stirring to ensure the starch released doesn’t cause the rice to sick together.
7. Add the juice and zest of half a lemon and continue to cook for a further five minutes. Add any additional stock as required.
8. Now add your asparagus spears, and continue to cook for a final 5 minutes. To help the asparagus cook I pop a lid on to steam them a little, stirring every minute. For the final minute or two add your peas right at the end to help them keep their colour. Taste and season if necessary, adding any additional lemon juice if required.
9. Now it’s time for the mantacatura, a phrase used specifically for risotto taken from the verbs whisking and creaming – this is when we add some fat such as olive oil, butter, or cheese to give the risotto its distinct glossiness and taste. Add the parmesan, and either butter or olive oil, give a good stir, and place a lid (or plate) over your pan and allow it to rest for two minutes.
10. Plate up and top with parmesan. Best served with a chilled white wine!

Nutrition Facts

Calories

576.31

Fat (grams)

24.79

Sat. Fat (grams)

10.10

Carbs (grams)

62.69

Fibre (grams)

15.66

Net carbs

47.03

Sugar (grams)

24.86

Protein (grams)

18.70

Sodium (milligrams)

566.19

Cholesterol (grams)

41.74

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This recipe is from one of my Cook Alongs and is part of a paid sponsorship with Riso Gallo.

Carnaroli Rice is known as the King of risotto rice because of its amazing ability to maintain its shape and flavour, and to blend perfectly with all types of ingredients.

 The Carnaroli Rustico from Riso Gallo adds an extra depth to that being semi-wholegrain, its nuttiness and texture make for a healthy and perfect risotto; al dente to bite with a creamy finish,

Find out more about Riso Gallo

Gnocchi Pasta Bake with Roasted Veg and Smoked Pancetta

Gnocchi is a great pasta to use for an al forno dish, this means it’s baked in the oven. Here I combine it with roasted vegetables like aubergine with smoked pancetta and chilli flakes for a flavoursome, smoky sauce with a little heat.

If you want to make this dish even quicker just top with mozzarella but if you want to add a later of creaminess and extra comfort make my white sauce to layer on top before finishing with mozzarella.

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Serves: 2-3 Calories: 643 calories per serving

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Ingredients

• 500g gnocchi
• 75g diced smoked pancetta
• Aubergine, diced 1cm cubed pieces
• Courgette, quartered in slices
• Red Onion, quartered into segments and then halved again into eighths
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tsp oregano
• 500g passata
• 1 ball of mozzarella
• Olive Oil

Optional white sauce

• 30g butter
• 30g plain flour
• 300ml milk

Instructions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees (fan oven)

2. Add the pancetta to a baking dish, and place in the oven while you prep your veg.

3. Dice the aubergine in to 1 cm cubed piece, quarter the courgette and the red onion, and quarter again.

4. After about 10 minutes the pancetta will have released some lovely fats full of flavour. Add the veg, chilli flakes, and oregano, drizzle in olive oil and combine with the pancetta and fats.

5. Return to the oven to roast for another 10 minutes while you prep the white sauce, or besciamella.

6. Melt the butter in a pan, add the flour and whisk to form a roux. Add half the milk and continue to whisk on a medium heat, as it starts to thicken add the remaining milk.

7. Season with salt and pepper, and you can add fresh grated nutmeg too. Put to one side.

8. Once your veg is roasted, add your gnocchi and half the passata, combine together to everything is well mixed and coated in sauce. Then top with the passata, you might not need it all just make sure all the gnocchi is covered but not brimming over.

9. Then top with your white sauce and tear the mozzarella up and dot across the top. Season with pepper.
10. Turn the heat up on the oven to 200 degrees and return to the oven for 10 minutes until bubbling and browned on top.

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Italian Style Sausage Casserole

A quick and easy casserole for weeknight meals and home comfort. Combine tasty veg cooked in Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Filippo Berio, with cannellini beans, quality chopped tomatoes and sausages of your choice for this tasty, fuss free, rustic dinner.

Pair it with thick, crunchy fresh bread or why not try adding my rosemary roasted potatoes.

Italian Style Sausage Casserole with Filippo Berio

Prep time: 5 minutes | Cook time: 30 minutes | Serves: 2-3 | Nutrition: 649 calories per serving

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Ingredients

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, sliced and quartered
• 1 courgette, sliced and quartered
• 100g Spinach (fresh or frozen), you can also use cavolo nero or kale
• 400g cannellini beans, again you could use borlotti beans or chick peas
• 400g chopped tinned tomatoes
• 3 - 4 sausages of your choice - I use traditional pork sausages, but you can substitute these for vegan/veggie/gluten free sausages,
• 1tsp oregano or alternative dried or fresh herbs, like rosemary or thyme
• Chilli flakes if you like a little heat or fresh chilli
• Salt & Pepper
• Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Method

1. I cook my sausages separately in the oven so I can be getting on with the rest of the dish, I cook mine in the oven initially for 25 minutes. Depending on the sausages you are using, cook to instruction while you prep ingredients and dish.

2. Add 2tbsp of Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil to your pan (you need a large flat based pan or casserole style dish for the hob), add your onion and carrot, and season with a little salt.

3. Cook on a low heat for 5 minutes until the onions are softened and translucent, then add your courgette, oregano or dried herbs and chilli flakes if adding cook for a further five minutes.

4. Add your chopped tomatoes and allow to simmer. Once your sausages are cooked, slice them into thick pieces and add to your casserole dish and combine. Season with salt and pepper.

5. Now add your cannellini beans and stir. Add your fresh spinach on top and allow it to steam and cook down into the sauce.

6. Once your sauce has thickened and is nice and chunky, my top tip is give it a taste test! Then drizzle it in Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

7. Serve it up with my Rosemary Roasted Potatoes or thick, crusty bread to mop up the sauce – delicious!

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This recipe is from my series of Cook Along and is part of a paid collaboration with Filippo Berio.

We’d love to see if you recreate any of our dishes so please tag @FilippoBerio_UK, @CookingCarafes

Find out more about Filippo Berio

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