Catholic Recipe: Risotto Formaggi

This Sicilian rice dish would go well with Catania-Style Chicken for the Feast of St. Sebastion. The dish calls for Arborio rice which is a pearly-looking, round, fat, Italian white rice that forms the foundation of risotto, the dish. Riso means rice in Italian. Like other rices, Arborio is a member of the grass family. What distinguishes it is a higher than normal amount of soluble starch that is released during cooking. The starch is what makes a risotto creamy.

DIRECTIONS

RISOTTO FORMAGGI Always cook Italian arborio rice until just tender but still quite firm to the bite.

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium-high. Sauté the onion in oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in rice and cook about 5 minutes, stirring, until rice is translucent. Stir in wine and cook another few minutes until wine is completely absorbed. Meanwhile, heat chicken broth in the microwave until hot. Slowly add about ½ cup of the broth at a time to the rice until all the broth is absorbed, and the rice is tender and mixture is creamy. Stir in the cheeses. Pour into a large serving bowl and sprinkle top with fresh parsley and basil.