Risotto, polenta and the softer side of northern Italian cooking

When Italy is not only about pasta, but also rice, maize and butter in the pan

Italian food is often reduced to pasta, tomato and pizza. In northern Italy, risotto and polenta play a larger role in many places than our pasta-dominated image suggests. Here you find rice, maize, mushrooms, butter, cheese, braised meat and sauces that are allowed to be soft, deep and slow.

At Kromans, this northern Italian thread appears in several menus: mushroom risotto; risotto with celery, morels and porcini; osso buco with soft polenta, Gorgonzola and gremolata; and wild boar ragù with polenta and Taggiasca olives. It is food that does not make noise for the sake of it. It comes together in the pan, on the plate and around the table.

Creamy mushroom risotto garnished with parsley on a white plate.

Risotto is not rice with gravy
Polenta, osso buco and the soft base beneath the flavour
Read more about the Italian kitchen

Risotto is not rice with gravy

Risotto is a dish in which the technique lies in the movement, the liquid and the patience. The rice is not cooked separately and mixed with something creamy afterwards. It must slowly absorb liquid, release starch and finish with a consistency that is cohesive, soft and still alive. It should be creamy but not porridge. It should have bite but no hard core. That is where risotto begins to behave properly.

Mushrooms suit risotto particularly well because they bring depth, earthiness, umami and a darker foundation. When Kromans works with mushrooms, morels and porcini in its Italian menus, it is precisely in this space where the softness of risotto meets the intensity of the ingredients. Butter and cheese can round the dish off, but they must not smother it. You should still be able to taste the rice, the mushrooms and the balance.

And yes, risotto needs attention. Not panic. Just attention. The kind where you stand with the spoon, taste, adjust and feel whether the dish has come together. It is a good image of Kromans as a whole: expertise without stiffness, and a pan that prefers someone to be present.

Pay particular attention to…

Risotto with a creamy consistency and plenty of bite
Polenta as a soft base for meat, ragù and sauce
Mushrooms, butter and cheese as sources of depth
Osso buco and gremolata as a meeting of richness and freshness
Tasting as you go, so the dish never becomes heavy or flat

Polenta, osso buco and the soft base beneath the flavour

Polenta is not pasta. It is not elastic, twisted or filled. It is a warm, soft base made from maize, and it comes into its own with dishes full of juices, sauce and depth. At Kromans it appears, among other things, with osso buco, Gorgonzola and gremolata, and with wild boar ragù and Taggiasca olives.

That makes sense. Polenta can take richness, sauce and intensity without stealing the whole stage. It forms a soft foundation beneath the dish while meat, sauce, cheese, olives or herbs provide character. When polenta is good, it is not merely ‘something on the side’. It is what makes the dish hold together.

But soft food must not be confused with heavy food. That is an important distinction. Creaminess is about mouthfeel and cohesion. Heaviness is about how much the dish fills you up and lingers. Freshness comes from what lifts it: lemon, herbs, gremolata, bitterness, acidity or something green that pierces the richness. Osso buco with polenta can be deep and rounded, but gremolata stops the dish settling over the evening like a duvet. It opens the window. Even a very good stew needs that from time to time.

In short: 5 things you need to know…

Northern Italian cooking often uses rice and polenta as important foundations.
Risotto should be creamy but still have life and bite.
Polenta works well with braised meat, ragù, cheese and sauce.
Mushrooms, butter and cheese bring depth, but need a fresh counterpoint.
Gremolata, lemon and herbs can lift rich dishes in seconds.

FAQs

Why are risotto and polenta so important in northern Italy?

Risotto and polenta play a large role in parts of northern Italy because rice and maize have historically and gastronomically been important staples in the region.

They offer a different Italian food experience from pasta: softer, creamier and often closely connected with mushrooms, butter, cheese and braised dishes.