Rose Risotto With Prosecco, a Dream First Course

You can see it in the photo, the rose risotto with prosecco is not a risotto-like the others. It is a small work of art, a dish not only good but also beautiful to look at. A small cuddle to give to a loved one, perhaps on a special occasion. What's so special about rose risotto with prosecco? Simple, it is also prepared with roses, or with its petals. And mind you, rose petals not only act as a decoration but also as an ingredient!

On rose petals as an ingredient, I will speak in the next paragraph. In this, I would like to dwell a bit on the preparation. Well, however complicated the dish may seem at first glance, it is actually quite simple. Indeed, it is even simpler than a classic risotto since it requires fewer ingredients. Obviously you have to carefully follow the recipe to get a result like what you see in the picture. Pay particular attention to the doses.

The rose, used in our risotto, is considered a decorative flower and hides a very interesting symbolism. The rose refers to passion, but also to beauty and elegance; it is certainly difficult to imagine it as a food. And instead, it has always been considered as such, obviously in its only edible part, the petals. Adding rose petals to a plate means enhancing their delicacy and expressing elegance at the table, transforming a simple dish into an experience that does not only involve taste. The rose petals in the recipe for rose risotto with prosecco have exactly this purpose, that is to ennoble the dish.

Roses, therefore, involve at least three senses: the taste, since a part of the petals, is literally cooked, the sense of smell as the dish honours the scent of the rose and the sight, as the petals are also used as decoration. Obviously you will have to pay the utmost attention to the cleaning and infusion phases, nothing complicated but certainly to be done with precision.

There are two elements that cannot be missing in a rose risotto, regardless of the variations and the margin of freedom that each one legitimately reserves: the nuance and the broth. In both cases, I made some particular choices, which added a touch of originality to the dish. The nuance, specifically, occurs with prosecco. Perhaps it is the noblest of white wines, but do not have the feeling of "wasting" it for a simple nuance. Given the limited number of ingredients, prosecco "remains" and acts as if it were a real ingredient.

As for the broth, I do not recommend the classic homemade or artisan broth. Not because the industrial one is not good, but simply the dish is designed to be original, therefore using an industrial product would betray its spirit. For the rest, you don't necessarily have to think of extravagant ingredients, a potato, a carrot, a little onion and the classic celery are enough. A recommendation, the broth must be very light so as not to interfere with the delicate balance of flavours of this risotto. So, before pouring it into the risotto (one ladle at a time), filter it several times.

• 320 g carnaroli rice;
• 1 litre of very light and filtered vegetable broth;
• 2 untreated red or pink roses;
• 1 small shallot;
• 1 glass of prosecco;
• 2 spoons of fresh cream cheese Lactose-Free Exquisa;
• extra virgin olive oil for taste;
• warm natural water for taste.

For the preparation of rose risotto with prosecco, start by removing the innermost petals from the untreated roses and gently wash them one at a time with a rag soaked in water. Keep a dozen for later, while the rest put them in a bowl. Cover the bowl with hot (not boiling) water and leave to infuse for an hour. After this period of time, filter the petals and keep the infusion water. Cut the filtered petals with a well-sharpened knife until very thin strips are obtained. Now take a non-stick pan, brown the finely chopped shallots together with a little extra virgin olive oil and toast the rice for a couple of minutes, mixing well.

At this point insert half of the rose petals into strips and 30 ml of infusion water. Stir for a few minutes and blend with the prosecco that you will evaporate over high heat. Add the broth gradually and, over low heat, cook the rice. When the cooking is half done, pour the other strips of rose petals. Turn off the heat and stir in the rice using the cream cheese (mix well, I recommend), then apply the lid and let it rest for a couple of minutes. Finally, serve by decorating with the rose petals preserved at the beginning. Serve and enjoy!

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 Association of European Coeliac Societies (AOECS) or the indications on the manufacturer's label.

From the ministerial note: The word "delactosate" has been eliminated, as it was 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