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!
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 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
- 1
To Prepare the Cheese Wheel:
- 2
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.
- 3
Mark the spot where you’ll make the well so you concentrate on that area.
- 4
To carve the cheese wheel, it's best to use the specific Grana Padano knife, otherwise you will need something quite sharp and specific.
- 5
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!
- 6
To Prepare the Risotto Alfredo:
- 7
Pour the extra virgin olive oil into your pot, then place chopped onions in the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula.
- 8
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.
- 9
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
- 10
Always stir while cooking the rice so it does not stick and also so it cooks evenly.
- 11
Let the wine evaporate and then add the stock until it covers the rice.
- 12
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.
- 13
Make sure that the rice is always is the moist while cooking!
- 14
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.
- 15
Switch off the stove THEN add the butter and combine before adding a generous amount of black pepper - freshly ground is best!
- 16
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.
- 17
Now, your cheese wheel risotto alfredo is ready to serve and eat.
- 18
E ora si mangia, Vincenzo’s Plate….Enjoy!