Risotto Rice: A Small Ingredient
The three famous risotto rice varieties are Arborio, Carnaroli and Vialone. We tested them in our experimental kitchen. These are the (small) differences:
Arborio is the most commonly used risotto rice. It is named after a place in Piedmont and has thick grains that are about 7 mm long and quite symmetrical. After about 16 minutes the risotto was ready. We found Arborio to be the best in flavor and texture.
Carnaroli is the king among the risotto rice varieties. It was crossed in 1945 from the varieties Vialone and Lencino and gives a nice creamy, but always very pithy risotto. The grains are about 7 mm long and almost spindle-shaped. A big advantage: Carnaroli does not stick together when cooking. This risotto was the brightest, almost all white of all varieties tested, had a slightly sweet aftertaste and was ready in about 16 minutes. Gualtiero Marchesi, Italy's first three-star chef, says of his risotto: "I only use carnaroli because it gives the risotto more creaminess and lasts longer than any other al dente, which is crucial for a truly perfect risotto would like to serve upscale gastronomy. "
Vialone is less known in Germany. Its grains are larger and rounder than in Carnaroli. It gives a very typical risotto and has the shortest cooking time of the three varieties with 14 minutes.
Tips: Rice with the addition "Type", for example "Type Arborio", is usually not the real risotto rice. Anyone who tries to cook a Risotto with rice pudding or sushi rice will be bitterly disappointed - with both of them it will be a mushy porridge.
