Cheese Wheel Risotto Alfredo
This rich and creamy cheese wheel risotto alfredo turns a classic recipe into a culinary experience! The unique taste of Grana Padano complements the rice, completely infusing it with its salty flavour. Using just a few key ingredients to create the taste of Italy will make this a dish you will never forget!
Servings 4
Equipment
- 1 Large pan/skillet/pot big enough to hold all the liquid and rice You can also use a skillet or pot. They just need to be big enough to hold all the liquid and rice.
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 Serving spoon
- 1 Glass Standard size
- Serving plate Flat plates work best for risotto
- 2 Mixing bowls
- 1 Carving Knife
Ingredients
- 350 g Rice 12oz (Aged if you're able to source it)
- 1/2 Onion Chopped
- 100 g Butter 4oz
- 1/2 glass White Wine Dry wine is best, nothing too sweet
- 4 tbsp Grated Grana Padano
- 1/2 liter Vegetable Stock 6 cups
- 1/2 wheel Grana Padano Not necessary but definitely an incredible addition to the recipe if you buy one!
- Extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- To Prepare the Cheese Wheel:
- Make sure to carve and break the middle part, creating a hole so that the risotto can be finished in the cheese and you can mix it through and make it creamy.
- Mark the spot where you’ll make the well so you concentrate on that area.
- To carve the cheese wheel, it's best to use the specific Grana Padano knife, otherwise you will need something quite sharp and specific.
- Clean out the remaining cheese in the well and put it to the side - make sure you taste some as you go. This cheese at room temperature is even more flavoursome that you might think!
- To Prepare the Risotto Alfredo:
- Pour the extra virgin olive oil into your pot, then place chopped onions in the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- Sauté this for 3 minutes. then once the onion is nice and brown, time to add the Acquerello rice in the pot. The rice does not need to be toasted because it’s an aged rice - if using an alternative be sure to toss it for 3-4 minutes.
- Add half glass of white wine and start counting the cooking time from now. Use the instructions noted on your packet of rice for the time - mine needs 15 min cooking time to be ready
- Always stir while cooking the rice so it does not stick and also so it cooks evenly.
- Let the wine evaporate and then add the stock until it covers the rice.
- Add more stock when the rice dries up - keep following this process until you reach the cooking time and/or you are happy with the consistency of the rice.
- Make sure that the rice is always is the moist while cooking!
- Once you are happy with the texture, leave a small amount of liquid in the rice to help create the creamy texture for your cheese wheel risotto.
- Switch off the stove THEN add the butter and combine before adding a generous amount of black pepper - freshly ground is best!
- If using a cheese wheel, add the risotto to it at this point, mixing the risotto in and scooping up some of the cheese and combining it as you go - this should melt into the rice.
- Now, your cheese wheel risotto alfredo is ready to serve and eat.
- E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!