Red Wine Risotto with Beans and Capicola
- Makes4 servings
- Cook Time30 minutes
In the Piedmont region of northern Italy, panissa refers to a risotto-like dish made hearty by the addition of beans and a type of local salami called salam d'la duja. (Panissa is an entirely different food in neighboring Liguria—it’s a chickpea-flour mixture that’s been cooled, cut into pieces and deep-fried.) In panissa Piemontese, red wine stains the rice a shade of pinkish red and its acidity helps lighten the rich flavors. For our quick weeknight adaptation, we use canned Roman beans, which also are sold as borlotti or cranberry beans, and we use easy-to-find capicola (or prosciutto) instead of specialty salami. We add chopped arugula for its vibrant color and peppery bite.
Don’t use a full-bodied red wine. We found that a big, bold wine easily overwhelmed the other ingredients. Barbera and Valpolicella are two relatively inexpensive Italian reds that work well in this recipe. Make sure to serve the risotto as soon as it is ready, as its consistency will continue to thicken and the arugula garnish will wilt from the heat.
Step 1
In a small saucepan over medium, bring the broth, covered, to a simmer. Reduce to low to keep warm. In a large saucepan over medium, combine 1 tablespoon of oil with the capicola.
Cook, stirring often, until the capicola darkens and is slightly crisp, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a small bowl; set aside.
Step 2
To the fat remaining in the pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil and the shallots. Cook over medium-high, stirring often, until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring constantly, until the grains are translucent at the edges, 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the wine and bring to a simmer, then cook, stirring often, until the rice absorbs some of the liquid but is still slightly soupy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Step 3
Add 3 cups of the hot broth and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium and cook, stirring often and briskly, until the grains are almost tender but still quite firm at the core (the rice will still be soupy), about 9 minutes.
Add the beans and the remaining hot broth. Return to a simmer, and cook, stirring often and briskly, until the rice is al dente but still quite loose, 6 to 8 minutes.
Step 4
Off heat, stir in the Parmesan and half of the arugula. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately topped with the remaining arugula and the capicola.