Risotto in Red Sauce, Nurese Style

Cut the pork pulp and the lardo, or the pancetta, evenly diced. Finely chop the half onion and keep the meat broth hot. Organizing the ingredients ahead of time allows you to proceed without interrupting the browning process and keeps the rice at a constant temperature throughout the cooking process.

Gently sauté in one saucepan the meat, the lardo and the onion, stirring regularly. Cook until the onion is translucent and the cubes are lightly golden, with an intense, even aroma. Avoid over-browning the bottom, as it will need to support the flavor of the tomato and broth.

Add the tomato paste to the soffritto and mix carefully. Let it flavor for a few moments, stirring until the seasoning takes on a deeper red color and a homogeneous consistency. The concentrate should be distributed between the meat and lardo without burning on the bottom of the saucepan.

Pour the Arborio rice into the saucepan and toast it with the seasoning, stirring constantly. Continue until the grains become shiny and slightly translucent on the outside, while the bottom remains well combined. This phase prepares the rice to gradually absorb the broth without losing its consistency.

Add the hot beef broth a little at a time, adding more only when the previous liquid has been almost absorbed. Stir regularly and continue cooking until the rice is cooked but still soft and the base retains a creamy, not dry, consistency.

Turn off the heat and add the butter and grated cow's milk cheese. Stir vigorously to combine the ingredients and make the risotto creamier and more uniform. Make sure that the mixture it remains soft and well-bound, without being compact or lacking in moisture.

Spread the risotto in a baking pan, spreading it in an even layer. Cover the surface generously with grated cheese, creating a uniform coating. Gently level it. the mixture without pressing it, maintaining the soft consistency obtained with the creaming.

Transfer the baking pan under the broiler and cook until the cheese forms a golden crust on the surface. Watch the color carefully: the surface should be evenly gratinated, without burning. Serve the risotto when the crust is well formed and the base is still soft.