Risotto alla Luganighetta con Merlot

How it is made

Quantities are for 4 people. The steps are in the order you do them.

1. take the casing off the luganighetta and crumble it coarsely with your hands or a fork, leaving the pieces clearly visible
2. keep the meat broth simmering in a separate pan: it has to stay hot all through the cooking of the risotto
3. in a wide, shallow pan with a heavy base melt 50 g of butter with two tablespoons of oil, then soften the chopped onion over a medium low heat for two or three minutes, until it turns clear without colouring
4. add the crumbled luganighetta, raise the heat to medium and brown it for five or six minutes, stirring often; if you are using the rosemary, put it in now
5. tip in the rice and toast it for two or three minutes, until the grains are translucent at the edges and still white in the middle
6. deglaze with half the Merlot, 1 dl, and stir until the wine has evaporated completely, about two minutes
7. add the boiling broth a ladle at a time, waiting until it is nearly absorbed before the next one, and stir often for sixteen or eighteen minutes, never covering the pan
8. after a quarter of an hour taste it, and two minutes before the end pour in the rest of the Merlot and stir
9. turn off the heat, take out the rosemary, add the 30 g of cold butter and the cheese, cover and let it rest for a minute, then beat it with brisk circular movements for half a minute, until the risotto flows in a wave
10. season with salt and pepper carefully, because sausage and cheese are savoury already, and serve at once on hot plates, with a few slices of robiolino if you like