Risotto with Sausages
I have a confession to make. This dish is my favorite breakfast. I normally only make a half batch of risotto since it is just the two of us. But when I make sausage risotto, I make a full batch, so I can have it leftover for breakfast…cold…straight from the refrigerator.
My dad told me that as a child his favorite breakfast treat was a cold slice of congealed grits. His mother would drizzle a little black-strap molasses on it for him. When I was a kid I looked forward to Thanksgiving Dinner, just so I could have left-over turkey dressing for breakfast the next day. But now it’s Sausage Risotto all the way.
Marcella’s recipe is all the more enticing, because she has converted me from the typical Sicilian-American version of Italian Sausage to the spice free version she prefers – which lends itself even more to breakfast!
She starts with browning onions and sliced sweet pork sausages in oil and butter. Then white wine is added to simmer. After the wine has bubbled away, the risotto is added and stirred to thoroughly coat.
Then the simmering broth is added in measured amounts, stirring constantly as it is absorbed. When all the broth is gone, a bit of fresh ground black pepper, more butter, grated parmigiano-reggiano and, if necessary more salt are tossed in.
We enjoyed our hearty risotto dinner with a nice every-day primitive from Puglia. And just in case you’re curious, for breakfast, it pairs well with V-8 juice.
I am so glad for you, Deborah, that you are into the taste of pure pork sausage freed of all that Italian-American deli junk. But that you can have it for breakfast stuns me. Would you eat like that in your house in Umbria? What do the neighbors think? All I can deal with when I wake up is a very large cup of espresso made from Illy beans. If I haven’t had any dinner, which is not unusual considering we eat a large lunch, I might be able to dip a biscotto in the coffee.
Deborah responds:
Oh yes, Marcella! Cold carbs are my breakfast of choice.
I can eat like this for breakfast. I actually wake up thinking about breakfast. In Umbria, our typical breakfast is coffee, toast, & cheese. Fresh fruit if we have it. Maybe an egg, but usually not.
Don’t forget Deborah that one of the greatest breakfast meals of all time is cold pizza! MMMM
I’m sure porca miseria for anyone from Italy though! *smile*
Your risotto looks grand too BTW!
Cheese? Eggs? Impossible at that hour. The only departure from custom for me is when I am ensconced in a very tony hotel, and I have no morning appointments, then – in addition to a pot of coffee – I’ll have croissant or toast, butter, and marmalade. Served in the room with good china and silver.
Oh this looks SO good. I might have to wait for lunch, though. I’m in the “only coffee” first thing camp, maybe a pastry a little later, after my third cup.