History Of Risotto Alla Milanese

Jun 24, 20202 min read

Risotto is comfort food. And in times like this, there isn't a dish that soothes the soul quite like the soft and supple taste of this lovable rice dish

Rice was first introduced in Italy, precisely in Sicily, as early as the 13th century. From there, it spread to the Naples area and later, due to the connections between the Aragona of Naples and the Sforza of Milan, to the Po Valley in northern Italy, where it found the ideal conditions to be grown: flatlands, an abundance of water, and humidity. Even today, the Po Valley is one of the largest rice producers in Europe and rice is eaten extensively throughout northern Italy.

From its early use, rice has evolved into a culinary tradition that has come to include the very fine risotto. And one of the most famous risotto is no doubt Risotto Alla Milanese. The first recipes mentioning the dish appear in cookbooks starting in the 1800s. From the 13th to the 17th centuries, rice was only cooked in boiling water. The first change took place in 1779, when rice was, for the first time, sautèe in a little butter and wet with broth. Later, a pinch of chopped onion was added as well.

The year 1809 is when the recipe for “riso giallo in padella” first appeared in a cookbook. The rice is sautéeed in butter, beef bone marrow, onion and then moistened with hot broth in which saffron is dissolved. In 1929, the Milanese chef Felice Luraschi finally gave the dish its name, ‘Risotto Alla Milanese Giallo’; his recipe calls for rice, fat, beef marrow, saffron, nutmeg and stock, flavoured at the end with grated cheese.