Risotto with broad beans and pancetta

The tender and sweet broad beans combined with smoked pancetta are the protagonists for this risotto recipe.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

• 400g Vialone Nano rice
• 900ml vegetable broth
• 200g fresh broad beans, peeled and blanched
• 150g pancetta, cubed
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• extra virgin olive oil
• knob of butter
• 40g grated parmesan cheese
• ½ glass dry white wine
• mint
• salt & pepper

Prepare the rice:

1. Heat some extra virgin olive oil
2. Add 400g of rice and toast it on a moderate heat for a couple of minutes to seal the starch
3. Pour 900ml boiling broth at one go and stir delicately with a flat wooden spoon
4. Cover the pan and put on a very low heat for 10 minutes

While waiting for the rice to cook, fry the finely chopped onion in some extra virgin olive oil until it becomes translucent. Add the pancetta cubes and when it starts to brown pour in the white wine. Leave to evaporate. Stir in the broad beans and season with salt & pepper.

Stir in delicately the pancetta and broad bean mixture and cook the rice for another 2 minutes. Incorporate well the grated parmesan and butter, cover the pan and leave risotto to rest for a couple of minutes, covered with a damp cloth. Serve with mint leaves and seasoned with freshly ground black pepper.