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Risotto Milanese
The classic Milanese risotto — saffron-golden, butter-emulsified and mantecato to silky perfection.
10 mins
30 mins
4 people
Italian (Milanese)
Arborio or Carnaroli rice
320g
Saffron threads
Bloomed in 1 tbsp warm water
generous pinch
Chicken or veal stock
Keep hot in a saucepan
1.2L
Dry white wine
150ml
White onion
Finely diced
1 small
Unsalted butter
Cold, for mantecatura
80g
Parmesan
Finely grated
80g
Bone marrow
Traditional, optional
2 tbsp
Olive oil
2 tbsp
Salt and white pepper
to taste
🍽️ Carnaroli rice
→ Arborio rice
Arborio is slightly more forgiving and widely available
🍽️ Veal stock
→ Good quality chicken stock
Lighter but delicious
Sweat onion in olive oil and half the butter until soft. Add rice, toast 2-3 minutes until translucent at edges.
💡 Pro Tip: The tostatura (toasting) step creates a protective starch layer on each grain.
Add wine, stir until absorbed. Then add hot stock one ladle at a time, stirring constantly.
💡 Pro Tip: Hot stock is essential — cold stock shocks the rice and disrupts the starch release.
Add saffron water with the third or fourth ladle.
💡 Pro Tip: Don't add saffron too early — it loses intensity.
Continue stirring and adding stock until rice is al dente (18-20 minutes total).
💡 Pro Tip: Taste every minute from the 16-minute mark. Al dente means slight resistance in the center.
Remove from heat. Beat in cold butter and parmesan vigorously — this is mantecatura.
💡 Pro Tip: The violent beating of cold butter into the hot rice is what creates the wave-like, flowing texture.
- ✓Always keep stock hot throughout cooking
- ✓Al dente is the target — never mushy
- ✓Mantecatura must be vigorous — it's not gentle stirring
- ✓Rest 2 minutes before serving for the consistency to settle
- →As a primo (first course) in Italian tradition
- →With ossobuco alongside
- →With extra Parmesan