Risotto con la Luganega
A classic Lombard rice dish cooked with savoury crumbled pork sausage, often known as risotto alla monzese.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 590 kcal
Equipment
- •Wide heavy-bottomed pan
- •Ladle
- •Small saucepan
- •Wooden spoon
- •Small bowl
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 590 kcal
- fat
- 26 g
- carbs
- 64 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 22 g
- calories
- 590 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Warm the beef broth in a saucepan and keep it over a very low heat.
- 2
Brown the crumbled luganega sausage in a wide pan over medium heat without extra oil until lightly crisp.
- 3
Remove half the cooked sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside for the garnish.
- 4
Melt half the cold butter in the same pan with the remaining sausage and add the chopped shallot.
- 5
Cook gently for three minutes until the shallot is soft, translucent, and sweet.
- 6
Add the Carnaroli rice and toast it for two minutes until the grains are hot and translucent around the edges.
- 7
Pour in the white wine and stir continuously until the alcohol evaporates completely.
- 8
Add the simmering broth one ladle at a time, stirring steadily and adding more only when the liquid is absorbed.
- 9
Stir in the saffron infusion halfway through cooking, around ten minutes in, if using.
- 10
Simmer for fifteen to eighteen minutes until the rice is tender with a firm bite in the centre.
- 11
Remove the pan from the heat, vigorously stir in the remaining chilled butter and grated Grana Padano.
- 12
Cover for one minute, then spoon into warm bowls and top with the reserved crisp luganega.
Chef's tips
Always keep the broth simmering so it does not drop the temperature of the rice as you stir. Cold butter straight from the fridge creates a creamier emulsion during the final mantecatura stage.
Ingredient substitutions
- luganega → coarse Italian pork sausage seasoned with mild spice
- Grana Padano DOP → Parmigiano Reggiano DOP
Storage
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.
Reheating
Reheat gently in a non-stick pan with a splash of broth or water, stirring constantly until hot.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding cold broth to the rice, which shocks the grains and causes uneven cooking.
- •Vigorously boiling the rice rather than maintaining a gentle, steady simmer.
- •Skipping the resting minute off the heat before final mantecatura, which harms the glossy texture.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Risotto con la Luganega?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from Lombardy
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
