Making iconic Italian dishes: Brutti e buoni and risotto

Welcome to 'Taste of Global', an eight-week culinary journey that brings global cuisine to the Jacaranda FM studio and your airwaves – brought to you by FNB Private.

Every week from 24 February, Monday to Thursday, 'Breakfast with Martin Bester' will explore the flavours, traditions, and stories behind the most iconic dishes from eight featured countries.

Taste of Global: Experience tastes from around the world

This week, the team makes a stop in Italy to explore two iconic dishes: Brutti e buoni and porcini risotto.

Paul Maciel and Emilio Coccia from The Cookery by The Secret Jozi Chef show us how to make these Italian classics.

Watch here:

Make these iconic Italian dishes at home (courtesy of The Cookery):

Brutti e buoni

A crunchy and nutty Italian meringue cookie.

Ingredients:

• 240g hazelnuts, blanched

• 160g confectioners' sugar

• Pinch of salt

• 2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Spread the hazelnuts on a large rimmed baking sheet and toast for about 12 minutes until fragrant. Remove and set aside to cool. Alternatively, lightly toast the nuts in a pan.

2. In a food processor, pulse the cooled hazelnuts with the sugar and salt until finely chopped. Scrape the hazelnut mixture into a medium-sized bowl.

3. Whisk the egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla, then gently stir in the hazelnut mixture until combined.

4. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Spoon tablespoon-sized mounds of the hazelnut dough onto the prepared sheet, spacing them 2.5cm apart.

5. Place the cookies in the centre of the oven and bake for about 14 minutes, until browned in spots. For a chewy texture, bake for about 13 minutes; for a slightly crisp texture, bake for 15 minutes.

6. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet before serving.

Porcini risotto

A rich and delicious mushroom risotto.

Serves: 6–8

Ingredients:

• 60g dried porcini mushrooms (180g fresh mushrooms can be used as an alternative)

• 3 cups hot water

• 8 cups chicken stock

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 1 medium onion, diced

• 1 medium carrot

• 1 celery stick

• Salt and pepper, to taste

• 1 clove garlic, diced

• 2 cups arborio rice

• 1 cup dry white wine

• 1 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped

• 4 tbsp cold butter

• 1/2 cup Parmesan, finely grated

Method:

1. Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in the hot water for about an hour until fully rehydrated. Carefully lift out the larger pieces, avoiding the sediment at the bottom. Strain the remaining liquid through a napkin or discard the last centimetre to avoid dirt. Roughly chop the mushrooms and set aside.

2. Bring the chicken stock and strained mushroom broth to a gentle simmer.

3. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and translucent, about 3–4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

4. Stir in half of the rehydrated porcini mushrooms and cook for 2–3 minutes.

5. Add the arborio rice, stirring to coat it with oil. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the rice becomes slightly translucent.

6. Ensure the rice is hot and sizzling, then add the white wine. Stir gently until the wine is almost fully absorbed.

7. Gradually add the hot stock and mushroom broth, one ladleful at a time, stirring constantly. Ensure each addition is fully absorbed before adding the next to create the risotto’s creamy texture.

8. After about 8 minutes, add the remaining rehydrated mushrooms.

9. After 15–20 minutes of cooking, the rice should be close to al dente.

10. If using pan-fried fresh mushrooms, stir them into the risotto now. Adjust seasoning as needed.

11. Remove from heat and stir in the butter, followed by the grated Parmesan.

12. Cover the pan and let the risotto rest for 2–3 minutes. Spoon into shallow bowls and top with shaved Parmesan before serving.

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