Riso

The rice eaten by Italians is produced almost entirely in Italy. The variety cultivated by the Italians is ideally suited to making risotto, the most Italian of rice dishes. The main characteristic of risotto rice is that it is able to absorb moisture and swell by to up to three times its initial volume on being cooked, while still retaining a bite in its centre. In other words, it has to be al dente like pasta to makes it palatable.

The plant’s Latin name is Oryza sativa. It is planted in the spring and reaches maturity after about 140 to 180 days. During this time, great care must be taken to keep it steeped in water and to protect it from pests. The rice is harvested between September and October. It is then completely dried and the grains are sorted, washed and separated from their husks before finally being polished to produce a perfect white grain. The polishing is a very delicate operation because only the smallest amount of the surface of the grain should be removed so that the vitamins from the outer skins are not entirely eliminated. Ideally rice should be eaten whole, with the husk on, but this would impair its vital quality of absorbency.