This is another take on Ina Garten’s risotto from her book, How Easy is That? A few months ago I shared Easy Yam Risotto, a great side dish. This risotto recipe is slightly more involved and can be served as dinner, on it’s own! It’s rich, creamy, slightly sweet and packed with flavor. And my five year old loves it! Yay!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (about 1/3 pound) pancetta, chopped into a small dice
- 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
- 4 cups vegetable broth or stock
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Serves 4 to 6
Total Prep and Cooking Time: 45 minutes
Active Work Time: 10 minutes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Add the pancetta to a large Dutch oven (i.e., Le Creuset), or another similar style, oven-proof pot with a lid.
Turn the heat to medium and cook until it begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and cook to soften, another 4 minutes.
Add 3 cups of the broth or stock, wine, rice, and peas to the pot. Stir to combine, cover and bake in the preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes, until almost all of liquid is absorbed.
Remove from the oven and gently mix in the remaining cup of broth or stock, cheese, and butter. Season to taste with pepper and serve immediately!
An additional note:
If you want to make this a few hours ahead of time, save the last cup of broth or stock and mix it in just before serving.
