Pasta al Dente, Risotto all’Onda
Everyone knows the standard to which pasta is held up to is being al dente, to the teeth, which refers to its being still a bit hard in the core so that you have to chew it. Fewer people know that risotto is not held to the same standard- a perfect risotto is not al dente, but all’onda!
All’onda means wavy, and it speaks to the perfect risotto soft and loose texture, so if you tilt the plate the risotto ripples in waves. This consistency is reached by following all the steps to a perfect Italian risotto (soffritto, tostatura, ingredients adding, resting- more about this to come!) but it is crowned by the mantecatura.
Mantecare, from the Spanish word for butter, mantequilla, is the last step to a perfect risotto. After resting the risotto, cold butter cubes and cheese are added, and the risotto is beaten as fast as possible while shaking the pan to reach the perfect creamy, rich and emulsified texture that characterize a perfect risotto.
In the Bay Area, you will find stunning risottos at La Strada in Palo Alto and Beretta in San Francisco. If you want to make your own- a full step-by-step tutorial coming soon!
Filed under: Traditional Foods
[...] surface, amylopectin, is soft and it will dissolve during cooking, giving the risotto its beautiful all’onda texture. The second starch, called amylase, makes the kernel of the rice grain, it’s firm and [...]