Carla’s chicken stew risotto from Veneto Risi e tochi
➤ SERVES 4-6
➤ PREPARATION 15 minutes
➤ COOKING 1 hour
“You know what, you can make a risotto out of anything. It’s easy! All the housewives in this area have their own recipes,” said Luigi with a grin. “We’re by the sea, which really suits growing Carnaroli rice. It’s an old variety; it grows tall which makes it more prone to being damaged by wind and rain. But we prefer it.” ‘We’ is his family and their riseria (rice farm) called La Fagiana, in the Veneto region. La fagiana means ‘the pheasant’ and Luigi says this dish is even better if you swap this for the chicken. “It’s a great dish for autumn, when the fog doesn’t leave the fields.” Mum Carla shared her recipe with us. Risi e tochi is the local dialect phrase for ‘rice and chicken’.
See image left
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 x1.8kg free-range chicken, jointed into 10 pieces, or 2 hen pheasants
• 1 tbsp rosemary needles
• 1 red onion, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp salt
• 150ml red wine
• 400g passata
• 360g Carnaroli rice
• simmering water, as needed
• 75g grated Parmigiano Reggiano (or as much as you like)
Heat the oil a casserole or Dutch oven over a medium heat and, when hot, add a few of the chicken pieces – don’t overcrowd the casserole or the meat will steam. Brown the chicken pieces in batches, then set to one side.
