Risotto With Pepper Cream, a Balanced First Course

The risotto with roasted pepper cream and cacciatorino is a rich first course, not very caloric and tasty. The recipe includes some special and extraneous steps compared to the preparation of the classic risotto, but it is not complicated at all. The reference is to the drying of the cacciatorino and capers, as well as to the operation of removing the peppers' skin, which follows some precise canons.

In any case, it is really worth preparing this risotto. The result is excellent both in organoleptic terms and from an "aesthetic" point of view. It is the best way to make a good impression with minimal effort, if not in terms of time. It must be said, then, that the ingredients are inexpensive and easily available, except for the Cacciatorino (which is still a typical dish).

For our risotto with pepper cream, we used the Cacciatorino, a very special salami. In fact, it is a typical product, but it belongs to the local tradition of at least 11 regions, including Umbria, which produces the variant universally recognized as the best ever. The name derives from the habit of hunters to consume this particular salami during winter hunting trips.

Although it is a full-fledged salami, the Cacciatorino stands out for a certain balance from the nutritional point of view. It is fat, but not excessively, in fact, it is much less than the hunters who produced and consumed some time ago. Its advantages include the good proportion between saturated and unsaturated fats, which do not increase the risk of cholesterol, and the presence of vitamins B6 and B12.

Peppers, and in particular red peppers, are fully part of the Italian culinary tradition. Indeed, in some southern regions, they are the main ingredient of some typical products (e.g. stuffed peppers in Calabria, caponata in Sicily). The qualities of peppers in general and red peppers, in particular, do not stop at taste and versatility, but also concern the effects on the body.

In fact, they are rich in antioxidants and therefore able to lower bad cholesterol. They are also a precious and abundant source of vitamins, they exert a purifying function for the liver and favourably impact visual performance thanks to the abundance of beta-carotene. Finally, they are suitable for low-calorie diets as they contain only 22 calories per 100 grams.

Ingredients for 6 people:

• 480 g Carnaroli rice
• 80 g of shallot
• 1 dl of white wine
• 1 litre and 1/2 of vegetable broth
• 120 g of Cacciatorino
• 60 g of desalted capers
• 400 g of red peppers
• 30 g of desalted anchovies
• some basil leaves
• 40 g of butter
• 80 g of parmesan
• 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• q. b. of salt and pepper

We begin to prepare the risotto with pepper cream by reducing the thin slices of cacciatorino, then put it in the appropriate baskets and dry it in a dryer at 65 degrees for 6 hours. Once the process is finished, finely chop the hunter until you get a kind of dust. Then dry the capers in the dryer at 65 degrees for 3 hours. Now remove the peel from the shallot, cut it into julienne strips and place it in a saucepan in which you will pour the oil until it is covered; cook everything on a slow flame for 20 minutes. Once ready, let the shallot cool, filter the oil and keep it. Now switch to the peppers, bake them at 220 degrees for 20 minutes, then place them in a container covered with plastic wrap: the goal is to stimulate the appearance of moisture so that the peel can be removed more easily.

At this point, peel the peppers, remove the seeds and blend them with anchovies, salt, oil and pepper. Meanwhile, cut the basil into julienne strips. Then, toast the rice in the shallot oil using a saucepan and blend with the white wine until completely evaporated, finally cover with the hot broth and cook. After 10 minutes add the pepper cream and finish cooking by adjusting with a little salt and pepper. Turn off the heat and stir in the Parmesan and butter. Now serve up: pour the rice on the plates, add the capers, the dried game powder and the chopped basil. Enjoy your meal!

Always check that the ingredients you use for the preparation of your recipes are suitable for coeliacs and people sensitive to gluten. Check the barred ear, the presence on the AIC Handbook or the indications on the manufacturer's label.

From the ministerial note: The word "delactosate" has been eliminated, as previously associated with the word "dietetic". The term lactose-free may be used instead for dairy products and for milk with a lactose content of less than 0.1 g per 100 g or ml