The Art of Cooking Risotto: Best Practices in Authentic Italian Restaurants
Every time I’ve ordered risotto, the waiter has informed me of a 20-minute wait and offered the option to change my order. This insistence on a significant wait time, often citing the complexity of the dish, is puzzling. However, understanding the process behind preparing such a dish makes it clear why this wait is necessary.
Risotto is a labor-intensive dish that requires a meticulous approach to cooking. It is not something that can be quickly thrown together or prepared in advance. Certain aspects of the preparation can indeed be made in advance, such as pre-soaking rice, warming up a stock base, and having already grated Parmigiano Reggiano readily available. But the core of the dish, its delicate texture and creamy consistency, can only be achieved through careful attention to detail and the right timing.
Understanding the Wait Time
It’s not cooked in advance. Seemingly, certain areas of the preparation process can be prepped, but the actual cooking of the risotto must be done just before it is served. This is because the rice, once cooked, has a very short window of time before it becomes overly soft and loses its characteristic bite.
Everyone knows that if you want a risotto, you have to wait because it’s a staple in traditional Italian cuisine. This wait time is intentionally included in the dining experience to allow the dish to be perfectly prepared. The menus in Italy will explicitly state that a risotto will require a certain wait time, ranging from 15 to 20 minutes. This is part of the charm and authenticity of dining in an authentic Italian restaurant.
Preparing Risotto in the US Context
Our own restaurant in the US tried to offer risotto, but it was not a significant driver for customer visits. Cooking on the spot is essential, and making the risotto in advance is not a practical approach for most diners. Risotto is a dish that we reserve for special events where we can reasonably predict the amount of meals that will be served at a specific time. This way, the risotto can be prepared in a timely manner without compromising its quality.
Expectations in Authentic Italian Restaurants
At a traditional Italian restaurant, it is standard to wait 15–20 minutes before being served the 'primi' (first course). If you're hungry, you might order an 'antipasto' (nibbles) to keep you occupied, or you could choose a 'secondo' (meat or fish dish). Alternatively, if you are in a hurry, you might go to a trattoria or opt for a quick panino (sandwich).
If you decide to sit down for a full meal, you are expected to have at least an hour, and more realistically, two hours to spend with your friends. The process of making risotto is sped up by preparing all possible ingredients in advance. In the kitchen, the stock will be kept simmering, onion will be pre-soaked, Parmigiano Reggiano will be pre-grated, and any diced ingredients will be ready. By the time the dish is ordered, all that needs to be done is to melt the butter, toast the rice, add the onion, and the wine, to proceed with the cooking.
This process typically takes 18–20 minutes, making it a dish that is well worth the wait for its exquisite flavor and texture.