Risotto with mushrooms and chestnuts

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 320 g risotto rice
• 200 g porcini mushrooms, fresh or 20 g dried
• 300 g chestnuts (marrons), possibly pre-cooked
• 1 tbsp butter
• Salt and pepper, black
• 1 onion(s)
• ½ jar red wine
• 1 ½ liters of broth or hot water
• 50 g pancetta or smoked belly or bacon
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 handful of Parmesan, freshly grated
• 1 tbsp butter

Instructions

Working time approx. 15 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 40 minutes; Total time approx. 55 minutes

Risotto with funghi and castagne. A recipe from Lombardy.

Soak dried porcini mushrooms in a little water. Either cut the chestnuts crosswise or cut them into quarters and boil them in salted water for about 20 minutes until soft. Peel and chop lightly. Cut fresh porcini mushrooms into thin slices. Finely chop the onion. Cut the bacon into small cubes and fry in 1 tablespoon of butter. Remove the bacon and fry the onions, mushrooms, and chestnuts in the fat until the onions are translucent. Add the rice and fry for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in the red wine (and the mushroom soaking water). Season with bay leaves, salt, and pepper, and add the bacon back in. Add a little stock from time to time to create a porridge-like consistency and cook the whole thing until ‘al dente’, depending on the type of rice. Remove from the heat, stir in the Parmesan cheese and butter, and serve immediately.