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Broad beans - aka Fava beans -- and bacon are a perfect combination of flavor to make a superb risotto.

Ingredients:

• two cups of Arborio rice (or the two other approved varieties)
• five cups of chicken stock
• one half large yellow onion
• four tablespoons of olive oil
• one-half cup dry white wine (if halving recipe, use one-third cup of wine)
• four ounces of bacon, cut into small squares
• one cup peeled, crushed Italian tomatoes
• one half cup of boiled broad beans
• one-half cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
• one tablespoon of butter, unsalted
• salt and pepper
• some shredded fresh basil leaves

to cook: (a more detailed and elaborate description of the risotto cooking technique can be found at how to cook risotto).

Bring the stock to a slow simmer in a pan next to the risotto pan. In a thick-bottomed pan (the risotto pan), over medium-high heat: add the olive oil. Add the onion. Add the bacon. Cook until slightly soft but not brown. Add the rice and stir until each grain is coated with the oil. Add the white wine and the tomatoes. Cook and stir until it is absorbed by the rice, about two minutes. Add salt. Now add the hot stock, ladle by ladle, only adding another ladle when the previous ladle of liquid has been absorbed, stirring almost all of the time.

At about ten minutes, add the broad beans. Continue adding stock ladle by ladle until the risotto is a perfect al dente. Test by tasting.

Take off the heat. Stir in the parmesan.  Taste for salt and pepper. Stir again. We let it sit, covered, for a minute or two. Serve.

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