Pea risotto and cottage cheese
The key to this traditional Italian dish is to serve it when the rice is just cooked and the risotto is still a little runny — the last thing you want is a clumpy heap of rice. Alyn Williams' humble pea risotto recipe is finished with a generous helping of cottage cheese. Use a vegetable rennet based hard cheese instead of Parmesan if cooking for vegetarians.
Ingredients
Fresh peas and pea stock
- 2kg fresh peas in the pod
- 1.5l water
- salt
- pepper
Risotto
- 2 shallots
- 25ml of light olive oil
- 150g of carnaroli risotto rice
- 100ml of dry white wine
- 20g of mascarpone
- 20g of Parmesan , grated (or use a vegetarian alternative)
- 40g of unsalted butter , cold and diced
- extra virgin olive oil
Pea purée
Garnish
- 50g of cottage cheese
- 1 handful of pea shoots
- 1 pinch of sea salt
Equipment
- Blender
Method
1
Pod the fresh peas and reserve the pods. Blanch the peas for 2 minutes in boiling salted water, then refresh in iced water. Set aside until ready to serve
4
Place a pan over a medium heat and add oil. Once hot, add the shallots and sweat to soften with no colour. Add the rice and cook for approximately 2 minutes until the grains start to become transluscent. Add the wine and reduce until almost dry
- 2 shallots
- 25ml of light olive oil
- 150g of carnaroli risotto rice
- 100ml of dry white wine
5
Add half of the pea stock, bring to the boil and allow to reduce, without stirring, until the stock is just below the line of the rice
6
Stir the risotto with a wooden spoon, at this point the starches will be released and you will notice the stock start to thicken. Little by little, add the rest of the stock a ladle at a time, stirring constantly until the rice is al dente (cooked but with a bite)
7
Beat in the mascarpone, Parmesan, butter and a good drizzle of olive oil. Stir in a couple of spoonfuls of the pea purée and the fresh peas
- 20g of Parmesan
- 20g of mascarpone
- 40g of unsalted butter , cold and diced
- extra virgin olive oil, good
8
Divide the risotto into 2 bowls and garnish with the cottage cheese, sea salt and a handful of pea shoots. Serve immediately
- 50g of cottage cheese
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 1 handful of pea shoots
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Pea risotto and cottage cheese
