Delicious Risotto From The Veneto Region in Italy

by Isabel Da Silva
The Italian food of the Veneto region poses a perplexing question: With so many dishes to choose from, how can anyone have only one favorite? Given the great regional variations within the region, not to mention between Veneto and the rest of the country, there are a lot of unique dishes waiting for you to discover them. However, if risotto is something you crave, Veneto is definitely for you. One of the most recognized Italian food dishes is Risotto and because of that Veneto is a must stop region for those travelers in Italy wanting to taste some excellent Italian food. A rice dish prepared in a specific way (we’ll cover that in a minute), it is one of the more popular Italian food dishes and is a staple of restaurants specializing in Italian food. To properly make a risotto, the rice must be first cooked quickly in butter or olive oil. The rice must be stirred so that it is evenly coated with the oil or butter, and cooked until it starts to become translucent. Once that has been achieved, broth is slowly (and I mean slowly, one spoonful at a time is traditional). One thing to keep in mind about risotto; the rice must be toasted, or no matter how good the result or how nice your local purveyor of Italian food may be, it’s just not risotto. Because of the versatility of risotto, there are a multitude of variations on the recipe. Nearly any good ingredients will make a good risotto, the exact components depend greatly on location if you are in Veneto. Whatever the local specialty happens to be, you can bet it will end up in the local risotto - e.g. seafood near the coast, and so on. As you move in from the coast you will see risotto made with different vegetables like pumpkin, asparagus, and radicchio. It is also commonly seen made with frogs’ legs which appear in Italian food more than most people think. The Italian food dishes of Veneto differ somewhat from those usually thought of when one thinks of Italian food. Heavier dishes are commonplace, and beans are a common ingredient. In fact, the peoples of the Veneto region are sometimes called “fagioli” by their neighbors to the south, a reference to the popular Veneto regional dish of pasta and beans. In Veneto, anchovy may be found in many dishes. However, as in much of the country, its popularity pales in comparison to that of sausages and other meats. A regional specialty is sopressata, a dry cured, pressed salami. It is most often made with pork, but sometimes beef is used. Another favorite Italian food meat is garlic salami. The Italian food here is also reliant on some of the prized vegetables of the area. Veneto is especially known for their high quality red radicchio and their asparagus. One last dish that is unique to the area is a rice dish with young peas. The Veneto region offers many different choices for the discriminating diner. From sopressata to vegetable dishes to it’s unparalleled risotto, the Italian food of Veneto is an embarrassment of riches. If you require risotto to make it an Italian meal, the foods of Veneto are just the thing for you. With so many unique dishes, Veneto has enough different, wonderful Italian food for everybody.
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Check out these great shrimp asparagas risotto recipes and tips on how to prepare all types of seafood at http://www.weloveseafood.com
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