Roasted Onion Risotto (Risotto alla Cipolla Arrostita)

This elegant, Northern Italian style of risotto spotlights the most important aromatic of them all: onions. Forget all the risotto rules you've heard about - this a next-gen risotto masterclass.

Risotto is a curious art. Despite its simplicity and humble origin as a poor man’s dish, the risotto is often shrouded in unchallenged rules and rituals. Some still stand, but some of them, honestly, are a real gripe in today’s world. Rules for rules’ sake. The main one: the constant stirring of your rice as you slowly add dribble of hot stock, allowing it to absorb before you add the next. This is a process which requires 20 minutes of constant stoveside whipping and whizzing - once usual in many home kitchens, but not now. As satisfying as risotto is when the craving for it strikes, I’m about to teach you a next-generation method for making risotto that works for the modern cook and finally removes the shackles. It works just as well because of science, and the flavour can be accustomed to whatever you have - though roasted onions are a brilliant start. Some Italians will abhor this method, but the end result is assured to be the same - I’ll let you decide for yourself. The risotto rice I use here is arborio - the most common kind - though take care if using other varieties as they will have different consistencies when cooked. But don’t let that put you off having a go. It’s about time you can enjoy risotto on a weeknight, no matter how tiring the day’s been. Let’s go!