When you think of Italian cuisine, pasta probably springs to mind first, but rice is just as cherished, particularly in the northern regions of the Po valley (think Veneto, Lombardy and Piedmont) where conditions are perfect for rice growing.

Short-grain varieties such as arborio, carnaroli and vialone nano were bred to have a high amylopectin starch content. This is released during slow cooking, soaking up the flavours of the liquid you are using and imparting a creamy texture while the rice grains remain separated with a slight bite at the core. All of these are perfect qualities for risotto.

Yes, there is a risotto recipe here, but it isn’t an orthodox one. What all the recipes have in common is the use of risotto rice. I used Ferron vialone nano rice for all the recipes as it is of excellent quality and has a beautifully nutty flavour.