Baldassarre says: “The first rule for risotto is to always remember it is a primo piatto! People try to pile on the inclusions. Don’t. It’s a rice dish! Next, don’t worry too much about the brodo. Water and even milk can make great risotto. In a pinch, water and a bouillon cube do better than good. Next, don’t feel chained to the pot. Turn it down, add more liquid, put it on pause — it won’t die. I rarely use wine to deglaze the onion and rice. Also, stop adding butter and cream at the end — natural starch should be enough. Risotto is a great vehicle for many ingredients. Just keep it simple and it will always work out. The pesto di salame I add here is easy to pack and freeze and can be used for soups, stews, pasta condiments, risotti and more. I make tons of it and use it in countless preparations at Baldassare. If you don’t want to use it, don’t. And if you want a vegetarian version, just use vegetable stock and squash.”
