Anyone who has ever watched a cooking reality show knows that risotto is what makes “reality” chefs cringe. In the real world, risotto is simple if you know a few techniques required to make the perfect risotto.

The following recipe can be altered and ingredients changed. Feel free to swap out the sausage, tomatoes and spinach for ingredients your family prefers, such as mushrooms, chicken, peas, etc.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 lb Italian sausages, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1.2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken stock
8 ounces spinach, chopped
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

In a medium saucepan, heat 1 tbsp oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and sausage. Cook until sausage is cooked thoroughly 3-5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Heat additional oil in the same pan over medium-low heat. Add rice and cook until rice kernels are opaque. Arborio rice is required to get a proper risotto texture. Add white wine and cook while stirring. The white wine is an acid used to de-glaze the rice. Constant stirring is required throughout the entire process.

Once all of the white wine is absorbed, add one cup of chicken stock. Cook, while gently stirring constantly, until chicken stock is absorbed. Add the final cup of stock and repeat until absorbed. By now your rice should be a perfect texture. If it remains hard to the bite, add an additional cup of stock and repeat.

Add tomatoes, spinach, and sausage to pan. Mix thoroughly.

Salt and pepper to taste. Top with grated parmesan or Romano cheese.