How to Cook Mushroom Risotto Like an Italian with Gabe Bertaccini 🇮🇹
23 August 2026 · 18:42 watch
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Master the classic Italian art of mushroom risotto and zero-waste kitchen prep with Chef Gabe Bertaccini's dual-purpose guide to Risotto ai Funghi and Taleggio-stuffed Arancini.
Key takeaways
- Use mushroom trimmings and leek greens to build a tailored stock that reinforces the primary flavour of the risotto.
- Toast the dry rice grains in fat before adding liquid to protect their structural integrity during the long simmer.
- Always perform mantecatura off the heat, whipping cold butter and cheese vigorously to create a stable emulsion.
- Bind cold leftover risotto with egg and extra cheese to construct sturdy arancini with a melting Taleggio core.
In this masterclass, Florentine-born chef Gabe Bertaccini demonstrates how to extract maximum flavour from humble ingredients to deliver a benchmark Italian classic. The lesson spans two distinct phases: executing a flawless mushroom risotto (Risotto ai Funghi) and transforming the leftovers into premium, high-margin bar snacks (Arancini ai Funghi e Taleggio).
Building Depth and Managing Rice Starch
The foundation of Bertaccini’s approach is a zero-waste vegetable stock. Rather than using water or generic stock, he simmers mushroom trimmings and leek greens with herbs to create a light, earthy liquor. Dried porcini mushrooms are rehydrated in this warm stock, concentrating their deep, umami-rich flavours before being chopped and saut eed with fresh forest mushrooms, sage, and leeks.
For the rice, toasting (tostatura) is a critical step. Cooking the dry grains in the fat before adding liquid seals the starch and prevents the grains from blowing out. The pan is deglazed with white wine before stock is added incrementally. Maintaining a constant simmer and stirring frequently releases the amylose starch from the grain, which naturally thickens the cooking liquid.
The defining step of any authentic risotto is mantecatura. Off the heat, cold butter and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano are added and beaten vigorously into the rice. This rapid agitation emulsifies the cooking liquid with the dairy fats, resulting in a rich, glossy coating that binds the grains without resorting to heavy cream.
Maximising Yield with Arancini
Cold leftover risotto is highly gelatinous, making it an ideal base for arancini. Bertaccini binds the cold rice with egg and cheese, providing structural integrity before shaping. Each rice ball is stuffed with a cube of Taleggio—a washed-rind cheese that melts beautifully to create a liquid core.
The shaped arancini are passed through a standard three-stage paneing station: flour, beaten egg, and panko breadcrumbs for maximum crunch. After a brief chill in the fridge to set the coating, they are deep-fried until golden and crisp. This dual recipe highlights how smart prep can turn potential waste into a premium starter or bar snack.
Questions from the pass
Frequently asked questions
Why does the stock need to be added gradually to the risotto?
Adding hot stock gradually and stirring constantly coaxes the starch out of the rice grains. This mechanical action rubs the grains together, releasing amylose to create the signature creamy sauce. If all the liquid is added at once, the rice simply boils and loses its creamy texture.
What is the purpose of the toasting step before adding liquid?
Toasting the rice in fat coat-seals the exterior of each grain. This helps preserve the structural integrity of the rice during simmering, allowing it to cook evenly and remain al dente at the core rather than turning into mush.
Why must the mantecatura be done off the heat?
Performing mantecatura off the heat prevents the fats in the butter and cheese from separating or splitting. By whisking cold dairy into hot rice away from direct heat, you create a stable, creamy emulsion rather than a greasy pool of oil.
How do you ensure the cheese inside the arancini melts completely?
Ensure the Taleggio is cut into uniform, small cubes and fully encased in the cold risotto mixture. Frying them at a moderate temperature ensures the heat penetrates to the core to melt the cheese before the panko exterior becomes too dark.
Can other varieties of cheese be used inside the arancini?
Yes, semi-soft, good-melting cheeses can replace Taleggio. Classic Italian options include Mozzarella, Fontina, or Gorgonzola. These cheeses provide a rich, gooey centre that contrasts beautifully with the crisp, deep-fried outer panko shell of the finished arancini.
Main ingredients
Original video by Food Network. This overview is written independently by The Chef's Circle editorial desk — watch the original on YouTube.
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