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Sausage Risotto with Herbed Breadcrumbs
The unusual signature dish at Osteria Pane e Salame in Cremona, Italy, pays homage to the restaurant’s name. Risotto pane e salame, or risotto with bread and sausage, is a delicious carb-on-carb creation that pairs the velvety creaminess of risotto with the crispness of toasted breadcrumbs. We developed a recipe based on the method taught to us by Lexie Garcia, chef at the osteria. In place of salamella di mantova, a local Lombardian sausage with mild garlic flavor, we use sweet or hot Italian sausage, and only enough to lend the rice meaty, porky flavor without weighing it down. Dry white wine supplies a touch of acidity, but as the cooking liquid, we use water, not broth, which allows the flavor of the rice, sausage, herbs and toasted bread to come through more clearly. We stir in a couple tablespoons of butter and Parmesan cheese at the end—an Italian technique called mantecatura, or blending—that helps develop additional creaminess in the risotto.
4 to 6
Servings
Don’t discard the hot water in the saucepan until the risotto is completely finished. As the rice rests off heat in the saucepan for 10 minutes, its consistency will thicken, so you may need a little more hot water to thin it before serving.
1 hour
Ingredients
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3
tablespoons salted butter, cut into 3 pieces, divided
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3
ounces country-style bread, torn into ½-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
Directions
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01In a medium saucepan over medium, bring 6 cups water, covered, to a simmer. Reduce to low to keep warm. In a large saucepan over medium, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter; add the bread and cook, stirring, until browned and crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the rosemary and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the parsley; set aside. Wipe out the saucepan.