Manuela Spinelli’s risotto alla Monzese

1. Pour the chicken stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat to keep it hot.

2. Melt 50g of the butter in a heavy-based pan over a medium heat. Add the onion and sweat for just a few minutes, until soft but not coloured. Stir in the rice to coat it in the butter, then pour in the wine and cook until it has all been completely absorbed by the rice.

3. Add the hot chicken stock one ladleful at a time, stirring until it has all been absorbed before adding another ladle. Stir in the saffron after the first couple of ladles of stock. The rice needs to cook for 15–17 minutes maximum, so when you get to about 12 minutes, start reducing the amount of stock you’re adding in each ladleful, otherwise the risotto may be too wet. The risotto is ready when the grains are soft but still al dente. Season with salt to taste.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the remaining 150g butter and the Parmesan cheese. This process is called mantecatura and will give your risotto a silky, creamy texture.

5. To cook the sausage, heat a splash of olive oil in a separate frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sausage and sauté until it’s golden brown all over and cooked through. Add a splash of wine towards the end of the cooking time.

6. To serve, divide the risotto between four plates and put the sausage on top.

Extracted from The Gathered Table: A Taste of Home is compiled by Gather & Gather Ireland, with all proceeds going to the Peter McVerry Trust (€30, ninebeanrowsbooks.com). Read more about the book here.