Panissa is risotto’s frumpy but very, very tasty cousin. The way the difference was explained to me by Rosa, who taught me, is that there’s simply more in panissa so it’s considered more of a whole meal than risotto is. You know it’s ready when it’s thick enough for your spoon to stand up in the middle – how cool is that.

Ingredients:

• 50 g piece of higher-welfare smoked pancetta
• 50 g higher-welfare salami
• 2 onions
• 2 sticks of celery
• 1 liter organic meat stock
• 1 bunch of fresh rosemary (30 g)
• 300 g Arborio risotto rice
• 250 ml Barbera d’Asti red wine
• 1 x 400 g tin of quality plum tomatoes
• 1 x 400 g tin of borlotti beans
• 4 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley

Method: (2 Steps)

• Chop the pancetta and salami into 1 cm chunks, place in a cold casserole pan and put it on a medium-high heat to let the fat render out. Stir occasionally while you peel the onions and celery, then chop both into 1 cm chunks. Stir the veg into the pan and cook for 10 minutes, or until soft, stirring regularly. In a separate pan, simmer the stock and rosemary.
• Stir the rice into the veg to toast for 2 minutes, then pour in the wine and let it cook away. Scrunch in the tomatoes through your clean hands, then start adding the stock, a ladle-full at a time, letting each one cook away before adding more. Keep a close eye on it and stir constantly for 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked but still retains its shape. Drain the beans and stir into the pan with the last ladle-full of stock. When your spoon stands up, it’s done. Taste, and season to perfection with black pepper. Finely chop and stir in the parsley leaves, then tuck on it.