Risotto Cacio e Pepe

pecorino romano cheese

🥗Healthier: parmesan cheese

💰Cheaper: grana padano

Grana Padano offers a similar flavor profile at a lower cost.

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil is healthier and works well for sautéing.

white wine

🥗Healthier: non-alcoholic wine

💰Cheaper: broth

Broth can be used to maintain moisture without the cost of wine.

arborio rice

🥗Healthier: carnaroli rice

💰Cheaper: medium-grain rice

Medium-grain rice can be a more affordable option.

Cut the Parmesan cheese into small pieces.

Place the cheese pieces into a pot with 2 liters of water.

Heat the water to about 80 degrees Celsius until the cheese starts to become elastic, then turn off the heat.

Let the cheese and water mixture cool to room temperature, then refrigerate overnight.

The next day, remove the pot from the refrigerator; there will be three layers: a top layer of fat, a liquid layer, and a bottom layer of cheese and eggs.

Scoop out the top layer of fat to use as a cream or butter substitute for the risotto.

Strain the remaining mixture to discard the cheese solids, keeping the liquid for the risotto base.

In a separate pan, heat some olive oil and sauté a chopped onion until golden.

Add 2 cups of Arborio rice to the pan and toast it lightly.

Lower the heat and gradually add the cheese broth to the rice, stirring continuously.

Once the rice is about three-quarters cooked, add some of the reserved cheese cream to the risotto.

Taste the rice to check for doneness; it should be al dente.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Dietary

Allergens