Food & Home Entertaining

At the glass festival in nearby Piegaro
(a commune known for its glassmaking
since the Middle Ages), I encounter
Fabio Berna and his friend Franco
Burrello manning a food stall in the
piazza near the glass museum. “Try the
crocchette di riso allo zafferano
[croquettes made with saffron-
flavoured rice],” urges Fabio, who
owns an agritourism farm (named
Melagrani Farm) nearby, where he
grows grains, vegetables, olives
and saffron. “My name, Fabio, is
my destiny,” he jokes. Fa means
“to make” in Italian and bio means
“organic”, which – along with saffron

• is something he’s passionate about.
  “It’s my mission!” he exclaims, before
  explaining how standards for saffron-
  growing in Italy have been tightly
  controlled since the 1980s.
  Fabio and Franco’s stall, Sapore, is
  dedicated to foodies and local organic
  food. Franco also offers cookery
  classes at his home for visitors, during
  which he loves to use the subtle flavour
  of saffron in traditional dishes. It seems
  his passion has rubbed off on the next
  generation – his son, Francesco,
  already helps him with pasta-making
  demonstrations while his daughter,
  Desiree, insists on having a regular
  supply of her favourite saffron-
  flavoured biscuits baked for her.
  Saffron turns up again at Bistrot del
  Duca, a restaurant tucked under the
  defensive walls of Città della Pieve,
  where saffron risotto is the signature
  offering. And, where better to learn
  the secrets of making this simple yet
  sophisticated dish than from the chef-
  patron, Christian Palazzi, whose
  cooking has earned the eatery

SAFFRON RISOTTO

Bistrot del Duca’s signature dish

Serves 4A LITTLE EFFORT1hr

WHAT YOU NEED

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp salted butter + 1 tbsp extra,

chilled, to serve

1 shallot, peeled and chopped

320g arborio rice

1,2L hot vegetable stock

125ml(½cup)drywhitewine

½ tsp saffron threads, toasted

in a dry non-stick frying pan for

60 seconds before bashed to a

powder between two sheets of

baking paper

1 tbsp grated Taleggio/Parmesan

fresh mint leaves, to garnish

HOW TO DO IT

1 Heat the olive oil and butter in a

large, deep frying pan over medium

heat until the butter has melted. Add

the chopped shallot and fry until

slightly browned, about 10 minutes.

Add the rice and stir continuously

until coated well.

2 Add a ladle of hot stock, then add

the wine. Stir, continuously, until all

of the liquid has been absorbed.

Add a second ladleful of hot stock,

stirring until absorbed. Continue

untilallofthestockhasbeenadded

and the rice is cooked al dente. Add

the ground saffron about 10 minutes

after adding the first ladle of stock.

3 Remove from heat and fold in the

chilledbutterandgratedTaleggio/

Parmesan. Set aside to rest, about

5 minutes. Divide the risotto among

4servingplates.Garnishwithfresh

mint leaves.

cook’s tip

Ensure the stock remains heated throughout by placing it in a

pot over low heat while continuing with the recipe.

SAFFRON RISOTTO

FOR

A SAFFRON-

BASED DESSERT

RECIPE,

TURN TO PAGE 104

FOODANDHOME.CO.ZA APRIL 2019 95

CULINARY TRAVEL