Risotto di Parmigiano e Zafferano – A Traditional Italian Recipe

Risotto di Parmigiano e Zafferano

Saffron risotto is a traditional Lombard dish, particularly of Milanese cuisine, based on rice cooked in a meat broth and enriched by the flavour and, above all, the golden colour of saffron.

Saffron risotto is frequently confused with risotto alla Milanese, a dish of similar origin but different preparation; the latter is made with beef marrow broth and does not include white wine.

To track down the origins of saffron risotto, we must travel back to the end of the fifteenth century, when it appears that Valerio di Fiandra, a craftsman who worked on the windows of the Milan Cathedral, decided to colourize his risotto with saffron.

It is a well-known recipe that has the advantage of being well-liked by both adults and children, and because of its simplicity, it is easily appreciated by both the most demanding and those who enjoy simple recipes with a classic and enveloping flavour. Another major advantage of this risotto is its ease of preparation, which makes it one of the fundamental risottos of traditional Italian cuisine.

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 5 tbs grated parmesan cheese
• a generous pinch of Saffron stems

Procedure

Follow the recipe for Basic Risotto. 5 minutes before you turn off the heat, add the saffron and grated parmesan cheese. Stir through the rice well (in Italian, ‘mantecare’). Cover and leave to stand 2-4 minutes. Serve hot.

Did you know that safforn and Tuscany can tell a common story? The red gold has played an important part in the history of San Gimignano, and we dedicated to it a post in this blog!

Risotto di Parmigiano e Zafferano Saffron risotto is a traditional Lombard dish, particularly of Milanese cuisine, based on rice cooked in a meat broth and enriched by the flavour and, above all, the golden colour of saffron. Saffron risotto is frequently confused with risotto alla Milanese, a dish of similar…

Risotto di Parmigiano e Zafferano Saffron risotto is a traditional Lombard dish, particularly of Milanese cuisine, based on rice cooked in a meat broth and enriched by the flavour and, above all, the golden colour of saffron. Saffron risotto is frequently confused with risotto alla Milanese, a dish of similar…