The dish is a pleasing mix of colors - a creamy, near-white base with spots of golden caramelized fennel mingling with the darker specks of cooked pancetta. A light dusting of parmesan cheese and a smattering of fresh green fennel fronds on top gives a perfect contrast. It’s served in a vintage Italian ceramic bowl for a truly rustic feel.

Roasted Fennel and Pancetta Risotto

Name: Roasted Fennel and Pancetta Risotto
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: fennel bulb, 1 trimmed and quartered; pancetta, 100g diced; arborio rice, 1 cup; mascarpone cheese, 4 tablespoons; white wine, 1/2 cup; vegetable stock, 2 cups; parmesan cheese, 2 tablespoons grated; olive oil, 1 tablespoon; salt, to taste; black pepper, to taste

Category Side Dish

Prep 10 minutes

Cook 40 minutes

Style Italian

Technique Roasting

Diet Friendly High-Protein

Daily Recipe: August 08, 2024

This hearty side dish perfectly embodies a quintessential Italian cuisine while brilliantly showcasing seasonal produce like fennel. Roasted fennel creates a sublime flavor profile that differs vastly from its raw state, giving it a caramelized flavor which marries supremely with the rich, umami punch of pancetta and mellow creaminess from the mascarpone cheese.

Ingredients (for 2)

Fennel bulb - 1 - trimmed and quartered
Pancetta - 100g - diced
Arborio rice - 1 cup
Mascarpone cheese - 4 tablespoons
White wine - 1/2 cup
Vegetable stock - 2 cups
Parmesan cheese - 2 tablespoons - grated
Olive oil - 1 tablespoon
Salt - to taste
Black pepper - to taste

Preparation

Step 1 - 🌡️🔥🧈

Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F), and lightly oil a baking tray.
Step 2 - 📏🥬🧂

Lay out quartered fennel on the prepared tray. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast them in the heated oven for about 20 minutes, or until golden.
Step 3 - 🍳🥓🍽️

In a deep skillet, cook the pancetta until crisp. Once cooked, remove it from the skillet, reserving the fat in the skillet.
Step 4 - 🍚🔥🍳

In the same skillet, add the Arborio rice and cook in the reserved pancetta fat over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until lightly toasted.
Step 5 - 🍷🍚🔄

Add the white wine to the skillet, stirring the rice constantly until the wine has fully absorbed.
Step 6 - 🥦💦🔄

Begin to add the vegetable stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly, ensuring each portion of stock is absorbed fully before adding the next.
Step 7 - 🧀🥓🥄

Once all of the stock is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked, stir in the mascarpone cheese and cooked pancetta.
Step 8 - 🥬⬆️🧀

Fold in the roasted fennel and top the risotto with grated parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 9 - 🔥🍽️🌿

Serve the risotto hot, garnishing with fresh fennel fronds.

Additional

Risotto is a classic Italian dish that requires patience and love, the constant stirring of the rice releases the starch slowly, creating a creamy and velvety dish that's worth all the effort! You can increase the protein content by adding grilled chicken or shrimp.