Get in my belly!!!!
The italians are the reason why I gain weight.
Oh ya, I am blaming them all the way!
Pasta, Fresh Pizza, Risotto, I mean, what is a girl to do but eat that stuff 24/7?
Not fair! (Deep down I wish I was Italian)
Talking about Italians and their amazing food, when Steph and I were in Italy, we went to Napoli (really not my favourite city, BUT!) because Lonely Planet told us that that’s where Pizza was supposedly invented (Oh ya, we went out of our way to go eat pizza!). Steph, the genius, took a picture of the pizza box so we could remember the name of the restaurant where pizza was “invented”. I am telling you people, if ever you are close to Napoli, Italy (not the one in Florida!), go and eat pizza at Pizzeria Gino Sorbillo !!! It is worth the trip! The restaurant is always full and people actually wait outside for their pizzas! We ordered and the pizza was ready about 6 minutes after! All fresh ingredients; dough, basil, tomatoes and mozzarella = OMG Amazing Pizza! A 16″ pizza was about 5 or 6 euros ($8 US). Anyways! Back to the risotto I made last night!
So fresh and tasty! Look at the pretty colors! Spring/Summer are almost hereeeeeeeee and I am overly excited!!! Honestly, I look like a dead vampire (my skin is freakishly white)!
Back to the food!
Look at this….
Do you like the background peppers?
All to say that you have to make risotto soon! It’s so delicious! Stack it up with fresh veggies, some cheese and whatever meat you want!
Buon Appetito!
Course: Dinner Yield: 4 servings Prep Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 40 mins
Ingredients
- 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 small onion, chopped in half and thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon of butter
- 1 Tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 1/2 Cup of arborio rice (risotto)
- 1 1/2 Liter of chicken broth
- 5 sun-dried tomatoes, sliced
- 6 small mushrooms, sliced
- 1/2 of a red pepper, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon of freshly grated lemon zest
- 2 Cup of fresh spinach
- 4 Tablespoon of heavy cream (35%)
- 1 Cup of freshly grated parmesan
- 1/2 Cup of dry white wine
- juice of half of a lemon
Instructions
- In a large pan, heat up the butter and the oil.
- Put the onions and the garlic in the pan and cook them on high for 2 minutes.
- Bring the heat down to medium low and continue cooking for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add in your mushrooms and red peppers.
- Cook for 3 minutes, bring the heat up and deglaze the pan with the wine. Let the liquid reduce and add the sun-dried tomatoes along with the rice.
- Add in a cup of your liquid. Bring your heat up to medium high and continue cooking, stirring frequently. When the liquid has almost all been absorbed, add another cup or so of broth.
- Continue adding about 1/2 cup of broth at a time, waiting for the liquid to be absorbed and do so until your risotto is almost completely cooked (takes about 35-40 minutes).
- Add your lemon zest, spinach and parmesan and keep cooking. Test the risotto. If it's is not ready, add more liquid and keep cooking it until it is ready.
- When it is ready, stir in the lemon juice and mix thoroughly, then mix in the cream and season to taste.
- *Please note that you might not use the whole 1 1/2 liter of chicken stock!
- You can also make this recipe with orzo pasta! It's really good!
