Eggplant Risotto

Eggplant risotto is a delicious and fragrant dish, evoking the tradition of Mediterranean cuisine. Here’s how to prepare it.

Ingredients

• 320 g of Carnaroli or Arborio rice
• 2 medium eggplants
• 1 small onion
• 1 clove of garlic
• 800 ml of vegetable broth
• 100 ml of white wine
• 40 g of grated Parmesan cheese
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Fresh basil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Wash the eggplants, cut them into cubes and let them drain with a bit of salt for about 20 minutes to remove the bitterness.
2. In the meantime, prepare a sauté with extra virgin olive oil, finely chopped onion, and a clove of garlic. When the onion becomes translucent, remove the garlic.
3. Add the eggplant cubes to the sauté and brown for a few minutes. Then, remove the eggplants and set aside.
4. In the same pan, toast the rice until it becomes translucent, then deglaze with white wine.
5. Once the wine has evaporated, start adding the vegetable broth one ladle at a time, waiting for the liquid to be absorbed before adding more, stirring frequently.
6. Halfway through cooking, reincorporate the eggplants into the risotto. Continue cooking by adding broth until the rice is al dente.
7. When the risotto is ready, turn off the heat, add the grated Parmesan cheese, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and stir well to combine.
8. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and garnish with fresh basil leaves.

Serve the eggplant risotto hot and, if you like, you can add a sprinkle of Parmesan and an extra drizzle of raw oil.

Curiosity

Eggplant risotto can be enriched with diced tomatoes or puree for a hint of acidity, or you can add diced mozzarella in the last few minutes of cooking for a meltier and richer version. Some variants also involve the use of salted ricotta instead of Parmesan for a more intense flavor.