Here's how you to master the technique for serving risotto all’onda so that you can make risotto properly.
What is risotto all’onda?
Risotto all'onda is an Italian risotto that is neither too dry nor too brothy, but just denser and creamier than other types of risotto. The name, which means “wave risotto,” comes from the way the rice moves – like ocean waves – when you add the butter and cheese for the mantecatura, or the “setting” the risotto after cooking the rice, you have to shimmy the long-handled pot to make the rice move in the shape of a wave so that it practically folds onto itself.
How to prepare a velvety risotto to perfection
For a proper risotto all’onda, the broth must be added just a little at a time, replenishing the saucepan with a ladle of broth each time the rice absorbs the previous ladleful. If you add the broth all at once, you won’t get the creamy effect of a risotto all’onda.
The art of mantecatura
The most important step, the mantecatura is based on butter and cheese (generally Parmigiano Reggiano cheese or Grana Padano). A chef secret? Use very cold butter and cheese from the fridge (or even butter that’s been in the freezer for a few hours). In fact, the resultant “thermal shock” will help bring out risotto all’onda's characteristic velvety texture. The mantecatura step should be done with the heat off and without stirring. Instead, “push” the pan back and forth with a firm grip on the handle — again, you need to try to get the rice to fold onto itself, like waves. In the meantime, incorporate the butter and cheese.
The choice of accessories
In addition to the cooking method and the mantecatura, it’s also very important that you make the risotto in the right saucepan. The edges can’t be too tall (so any pots) because the rice on the surface would not cook evenly. Make sure the saucepan has a long handle too – so you get the texture right by making the aforementioned “rice waves.”