Mantecare - /man·te·cà·re/
transitive verb
In gastronomy, to mix ingredients to obtain a creamy mixture.
It's nice to fill your mouth with big words like " creaming the risotto ", but do you really know How do you cream risotto? I mean, have you ever tried to stir with a pan in hand? without making a mess in the kitchen?
Well, in case you were wondering how to do it, you've come to the right place.
To cream the risotto well you need to follow some simple rules and use the wave risotto technique .
Essentially, the mantecatura is the final step in the risotto all'onda recipe. Thanks to the right movement of the pan , the risotto should rise and fall, forming a wave, until it becomes compact, soft, and creamy. Above all, at a certain point, you will no longer have to worry about dirtying the stove: at that moment, you will know that all the ingredients are connected.
It takes practice, yes, a lot of practice, but you have to start somewhere, right? So, let's continue from the beginning.
Cooking rules for creaming risotto
- In a pan, toast the rice well with butter or extra virgin olive oil.
- Bring it to the boil by adding boiling broth.
- Turn off the heat when the rice is al dente. To ensure proper blending, it's important to use the right amount of starch.
- Turn off the heat, add twenty grams of cold diced butter (for a creamier consistency) and ten grams of grated cheese.
- At this point, let the risotto rest in a warm place, perhaps covered and unstirred, for at least two minutes. This will allow it to settle and begin to release its starch.
- Now it's time to stir: remove the lid, stir to combine the butter and cheese, and shake the pan with quick, steady back-and-forth motions. The risotto should bounce in a wave-like motion, back and forth, up and down, until all the ingredients are perfectly combined.
Margin notes:
- If the risotto is too dry, you can add a little broth.
- Remember: fast movements mean greater release of starch and therefore more creaminess.
Which pan to use for creaming risotto?
The basic outline of the suspected pan is as follows: large, with a single handle, and a flared edge between 6 and 8 centimetres high.
This type of pan distributes the rice well, facilitating uniform cooking and creaming.
As for the diameter, if you have to cook for a maximum of four people, a diameter of 25-28 centimetres is recommended, from six people onwards, go over thirty.
Never use large pots to boil pasta; rice doesn't cook evenly in them. Plus, it would be difficult to cook it evenly.
You discover our tall pans and have fun stirring the risotto!
