Risotto alla Milanese

Risotto alla Milanese is Milan's saffron risotto — rice cooked slowly with broth and turned gold with saffron. It is the dish Milan is known for, and its colour comes from one of the most expensive spices in the world used in genuinely small quantities.

What it actually is

Short-grain rice — Carnaroli, Arborio or Vialone Nano — is toasted in butter with finely chopped onion, traditionally with a little beef bone marrow. Hot broth then goes in a ladle at a time, and the rice is stirred as it absorbs each addition. Saffron joins towards the end and turns everything deep gold.

Off the heat, cold butter and grated Parmigiano Reggiano are beaten through — a step called the mantecatura. That is what makes it creamy; there is no cream in it.

The texture to aim for is all'onda: loose enough to ripple when the plate is tapped, never stiff.

How it's served

• Immediately, cooked to order — it takes about eighteen minutes and cannot be held.
• On its own as a first course, spread flat rather than heaped.
• With ossobuco, the classic Milanese pairing.
• As risotto al salto the next day — pressed into a pan and fried until crisp.

Writing it on a menu

• Say which broth you use. It decides whether the dish is vegetarian, and guests ask.
• Warn about the wait: around twenty minutes, cooked from scratch. A line on the menu prevents a complaint at the table.
• It is naturally gluten-free but contains dairy — worth stating both.