Pitocca Risotto

History & Background

A Brescian dish of the 1600s–1700s, 'pitocca' because interpreted as poor (pitocco = beggar). It was the Sunday dish of Franciacorta farmsteads — simple but nourishing, the peasants' meal when no other meat was available.

Ingredients for 4

• 320g Carnaroli rice
• 1 chicken breast
• 1.2L hen broth
• 1 white onion
• ½ glass white wine
• 60g cold butter
• 80g Grana Padano
• A few sage leaves
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Salt, white pepper

Method

1. Boil the chicken breast in the aromatised broth for 30 min.
2. Shred the chicken and strain the broth.
3. Sweat the chopped onion with butter and sage.
4. Toast rice and deglaze with wine.
5. Add hot chicken broth for 14 min.
6. Fold in shredded chicken.
7. Manteca off heat with cold butter and Grana Padano.
8. Serve hot with white pepper.

Wine pairing

Franciacorta Brut or Lugana DOC.

Common mistakes

• Shredding chicken too finely (loses bite).
• Weak broth (the backbone of the dish).
• Skipping sage (perfumes the base).