Risotto Risotti

by Judi Barrett

Years after coauthoring the widely praised and best-selling book Risotto, Judith Barrett revisits Arborio rice territory. But Judith Barrett also reaches beyond Italy for inspiration. Turning to those cuisines where rice is a staple, she blends ingredients from Asia, the Middle East, and the Tropics into adventurous world risotti. And sizing up the way people really cook and eat, she offers short-cut and low-fat techniques for risotto, too.
For anyone who may have missed the risotto revolution, Barrett starts with a risotto reference guide. Here, she explains simply and directly what risotto is and moves on to risotto history, rice and the varieties suitable for risotto (there's now an American Arborio rice), essential equipment, and tips for serving risotto.
Barrett has divided the recipes into chapters on vegetable risotti, seafood and fish risotti, meat risotti, low-fat risotti, risotto cakes, riceless "risotti," and dessert risotti. In addition to recipes, the cookbook is peppered throughout with notes on montasio cheese, frico, or melted cheese crisps, edible gold, and much more.

Genres: Cookbooks, Food, Cooking, Italian Literature

Hardcover

First published January 28, 1988

About the author

Judi Barrett is an American author and art teacher best known for imaginative children’s picture books, most notably Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs and Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing. Raised in Brooklyn, she trained in advertising design before working as a freelance designer and later turning to education, teaching art and woodworking to young children while pursuing further studies in early childhood education and studio arts. She frequently collaborated with illustrator Ron Barrett, creating several popular titles together. Her whimsical storytelling, blending humor with inventive concepts, has made her books enduring favorites, some adapted for film, while she has continued teaching and writing.

Reviews

[Douglas Larson]

A collection of diverse risotto recipes clearly written. I have only tried about half a dozen or so but they are delicious.

Traditionally, most risotto recipes call for grated cheese but being allergic to dairy, I especially like that this book has some that do not and yet are still delicious.

When I purchased this book years ago, cookbooks on the market devoted soley to risotto were rare. Now there are quite a few and while I have glanced at 1 or 2 of them I have never felt a need to purchase one since this title has served me so well.

[Michelle]

The best book on risotto that I know.

[Sarah Elizabeth]

The basic combination ideas are good, but the recipes themselves aren't great.

[Catherine Woodman]

Simple recipes, but lots of ideas for making this wonderful dish different every time