European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 19, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                In Italy risotto gains on pasta by Louis Inturrisi new York Tims it May come As a Surprise to learn thai Italy is Theno. 1 producer of Rice in Europe and one of it largest Consumers despite the fact that Rice is no indigenous. Ii was apparently brought o Italy bythe Saracens during the Middle Ages and not As one might i Hank by the crusaders or Marco Polo resuming from Asia in Italy Rice is cultivated almost exclusively in the Plains of the to and Ticino valleys in the North near cities like Mantua in Lombardy and Turin in Piedmont. Italians put Rice Inlo everything including their desserts Rice pies and ice Cream Gulalo 0 Riso. They also improved the Strain so much that when Thomas Jefferson came to Italy he was so impressed with the Rice that he brought some grains Back with him to grow in America Rich or Nso is thought o As he Good Friend of people who live alone because it can be simple and Quick to prepare but is Hearty and appetizing As Well. Tha most common first course dish made from Rice is Nsoto which is rapidly becoming a widespread alternative to pasta. Bui because Rica does t have a Strong Zlevor of its own Kali ans have added a variety of ingredients and sauces to dress it up. As a result there exists in the Trattoria and restaurants a Rainbow of risotto dishes to choose from. Here Are some of the colors or flavors currently available Green risotto run the spectrum from the dark Green of chopped spinach through the Gray Green of mushroom to the creamy Light Green risotto Reade from tender Spring asparagus yellow risotto gets its color from Lemons or Zucchini blossoms or As in risotto Alia milanese from Saffron Salmon or shrimp turn risotto into delicate shades of Pink while tomatoes or Vino Rosso produce red risotto. Risotto Alia Fragoza Strawberry is also red and is served with a Hearty helping of Parmesan cheese. Blueberry risotto earns High Points Lor presentation among some Nova Cuc Irta admirers but risotto in squid s Ink. Which is Black has been for Many the culinary High Point of a trip to Venice. In Mantua they make risotto with Orange pumpkin Squash and in Treviso they color it purple by adding radicchio lettuce leaves. But the romans Are the no nonsense heirs of the builders of an Empire so they like their risotto White with nothing added of copt a Little butter and some Parmesan cheese or Betler still four kinds of cheese As in risotto Alq Allro Formaggio. Tha preparation of risotto is not without its Tricky moments and there in t always agreement even among the experts about How to produce the perfect risotto one that is neither dry nor Runny where the grains Are distinct but Creaky bound together and glistening with an appetizing Sheen on top. The first trick is to select the right kind of Rice because risotto differs from other Rice dishes such As Rice Pilaf chinese Rice and most notably from the boiled Rice. Americans use As a Side dish an italian Brand such As arborio or Fino should be used. If they Are not available Long Grain Rice will do but it is less starchy than italian Rice and will produce a less creamy risotto in any Case never use instant or precooked Rice or the re aulls will be closer in consistency to polenta Cornmeal Mush than to the Risolo of your dreams. The second hurdle comes when determining How much liquid usually Broth or Broth laced with wine to add id the Rice a Fine risotto is not the result of boiling a pot of Rice and adding a few vegetables but of cooking the Rice in the Broth and adding More Broth a Little at a Lime As the liquid is absorbed until the Rice swells and forms a creamy Union of tender but firm grains. The trick in not to drown the Rice in too much Broth or let it get so dry that it scorches there should always be some liquid visible in the pot. Four cups i liquid to one cup of Rice added a ladle Ful at a time is a Good Rule of thumb to follow but follow it loosely depending on the height of the flame and How fast the water boils risotto Roundup some of the risotto dishes mentioned Here Are available at the following restaurants in Italy for around ii to $6 a person risotto con Saint do to campy risotto with shrimp sauce Arnica Pesa. 18 via Garibaldi tra levers Rome Telephone 5609536, closed saturdays and sundays. Laotto Alia Zucca with pumpkin Squash ii Cir no Piazza d Arto Mantua 327101. Closed mondays. Risotto Alia milanese we Saffron Saucer St Orante Savini galleria Vittorro Emanuele ii Milan 6058343. Closed sunday. Risotto Alia Fragola with Strawberry Saucepan Pilro 19 via Del Piane Llari. Rome 6568565. Closed sunday no lunch. Risotto at Limone in Lemon sauce Caslan Valadie Piazzale Del Pincion Villa Borghese Rome 6792063. Closed tuesday. Risotto verde with spinach sauce la Maiella. 45 Piazza san Apo snare. Rome 6564174. Closed sunday. A lotto Nero in squid s Ink sauce. Trattoria Madonna Calle Dalla Madonna near the Fiallo Bridge Venice 23b24. Closed wednesday. Elsono Al Terri Cego in red wine sauce la cant Inota. 24 via san Marco Trent 980327. Russoto Cor Radl cello wit i Radicc Trio lettuce re Panoche 50 via Vecchia Trevi Giana. Conegliano 60071, closed monday risotto Al it Ghi porch no with porcini mushrooms Trattoria Del pantheon also known As Trattoria a Fortunato. 55 via Del pantheon Home 6792766. Closed sunday.  or asparagus Dodici Apostoli. 3 Corticelli san Marco Verona s96999. Closed sunday night and All Day monday. Not when the Rice 19 almost done you must carefully regulate he amount of liquid you add. If you add Loo much Loo late you will find Loo much liquid in lha pot when the Rice is done. Risotto should have a minimum of liquid just enough for it to possess the flowing consistency italians Callah Onda. Which Means it should flow Ike a wave Onda onto the Platter when ii in served. The Rice is done when it is Al dents the for ans should have a bit of a bite in the Center but should be son and tender on the outside. Each Grain should be Well separated but the whole dish should be Light and creamy. Warm a Platter by running it under hot water pour the wave of risotto into it and serve it immediately. Risotto cannot be successfully reheated but if necessary it can be made ahead of Lime by under Cooling the Rice and slopping it about five minutes before it is Dona. You can Complete the cooking by adding the final bit of liquid. The third critical area and a much debated one concerns How much stirring should be done while the Rice is cooking in the evaporating liquid. Both Marcella Hazan Trie classic italian Cookbook and to Bellona italian cooking in Trie grand tradition recommend stirring constantly but de Gobbi italian family cooking and others say that too much stirring can produce Chalky tasteless risotto without its obligatory Sheen i have resolved this controversy for myself by following this policy unless the Rice is clicking to the pot resist the temptation to stir. Besides being an attractive first course Many ,. Risotto Are alien meals in themselves depending on what is added to the Basic recipe. Additions can be As slight As peas or piece of Ham or a sprinkling of truffles on top. Or they can be More substantial to Genoe they add chunks of Luga Nega sausage a mild pork sausage without fennel while in Southern Italy risotto Ai Rutti i Mare is a substantial mix of mussels squid shrimp and other seafood. In Mantua Nsoto Alia Pitta comes with a whole pork chop on the top in Padua it is mixed in with pieces of baked Chicken risotto con polio Alia Pado Venna and in Milan risotto Alia milanese is often served with Oss Buco for More daring individuals risotto a Anguilla contains pieces of grilled eel irom Lake Bracciano North of Rome and risotto con Rane is a Hearty worker s lunch consisting of Rice and chunks of Frog meat from the frogs that thrive in the flooded Rice data of Lombardy. In the end however ii realty does t matter what one adds to risotto a Little this a Little that As a Friend in Rome likes to say and in 20 minutes  fact. The Best risotto Are often the result of spontaneity. Perhaps this is Why according to the dictionary of the milanese dialled Panz enl to make risotto or fare risotto also Means to cause confusion or to throw everything together and mix it up in a playful Way. With so Many creative risotto on the Market today one can easily be Gra Elul Tor such colourful confusion. Page 14 the stars and stripes monday Jam