is increasingly rare due to the difficulties of its cultivation. The Riso Testa company defines as “Riserva” the rice (still in its raw state) that has rested in the silos of the rice paddy after drying, for a time that can range from one to three years. This technique allows for the grains to best complete their physiological maturation and to further improve its quality, which is already high, thanks to important chemical and physical transformations. Baldo stands out for the harmonious proportions of its grain, its rare glasslike and crystalline appearance, and its remarkably creamy consistency, making it the perfect pair with the ingredients and seasonings in the preparation of a risotto or many other dishes, even desserts. It is ideal for obtaining a true, creamy risotto. Another one of its important natural properties is its short cooking time, at only twelve/ fourteen minutes. To each region its dish Mentioning all the Italian recipes that have rice as the main ingredient is nearly impossible, but it is possible to highlight a few interesting points as we travel along the Boot. We start in Valle d’Aosta with Cogne soup, where rice is added to the soup. The addition of rice has ancient origins, where in the summer, pilgrims from the Aosta Valley and the Soana Valley of Piedmont would make a pilgrimage, meeting up in a sanctuary at a high altitude. On this occasion, they would exchange local products. Those who came from the plains would bring mainly rice, which was added to the soup. Piedmont has many different recipes, such as “Turta verde,” typical of Monferrato. It is a savoury recipe to be eaten either at room-temperature or cold, and between Easter and April 29th, the feast day of Holy Christ. The Lombardy region is the birthplace of “Risotto alla milanese.” In Brianza, sausage replaces the traditional ossobuco as an accompaniment. If in the Veneto region “riso e bisi” is on every table, in the Lazio region, Supplì are a must-have. In Campania region, the rice cake is enjoyed as much as the pastiera cake, in addition to the “Sartù,” a one-plate meal of the best Neapolitan tradition. In Puglia the “Tiella” rice with potatoes and mussels is king, and in Sicily you can find Arancini. The legend of “Risotto alla milanese” One of the most famous dishes in the world is “Risotto alla milanese,” a dish whose origins are told by a legend. According to a manuscript found at the Trivulziana Library in Milan, the birth of this speciality dish would be closely linked to the history of the construction of Milan’s Duomo. In 1574, Maestro Valerio of Flanders, a Flemish man from Leuven, was engaged in making the stained-glass windows of the Milanese Cathedral. At his side, he had an assistant who was called Saffron; the reason behind his nickname was linked to his habit of always adding a hint of saffron to the colours, to create a more vivid effect. One day, to make fun of him, the Maestro told the young assistant that if he continued this way, he would end up adding saffron even to his food. No sooner said than done, whether as a joke or in spite, on September 8, 1574, on the occasion of Valerio’s daughter’s wedding, Saffron made a deal with the chef to make a change in the wedding menu; to the rice, seasoned with butter, he asked the chef to add a pinch of the famous golden spice. To the amazement of the young man, the diners appreciated the joke, both for its flavour as well as the colourful note that it gave to the dish. Jocelyn Morales on Unsplash 55
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