For ➏400 g Carnaroli or Vialone Nano rice
225 g bell peppers, preferably yellow
150 g ripe plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled & seeded
100 g unsalted butter
2 tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano
salt & freshly ground pepper
3 dl warm beef stock
Wash and core the peppers. Discard ribs and seeds. Then flame them to blister the skins (a broiler makes this operation quite easy), peel them and cut them into thin strips.
Sauté half the minced onion in just a dab of butter, and when it has gilded add the tomato pulp, breaking up the pieces with your fingers. Check seasoning and simmer over a low flame stirring repeatedly. When the sauce is somewhat reduced, add the pepper strips. Cook for 1 m more and then cover the pot and turn off the flame.
Set another pot on the fire and sauté the remaining onion in half the remaining butter. As soon as the onion is a light golden, remove it from the pan with a slotted spoon, turn the heat up slightly, and stir the rice into the drippings. Continue cooking for several minutes, stirring constantly lest the rice stick. Return the onion to the pot and begin adding hot broth, a ladle full at a time. When the rice is half cooked add the tomato and pepper mixture. Continue stirring in broth until the rice is at the al dente stage, stir the remaining butter and grated cheese to taste into the pot.
Serve with a dry white wine.
Bell pepper risotto is a specialty from Voghera, a city in the southern side of the Po Valley, between Piacenza and Alessandria. The region is famed for its peppers.
Read the risotto tip.
