By CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL
Christopher Kimball's Milk Street

It turns out we've all been cooking risotto the wrong way.

On a trip to Milan, we learned that risotto does not require the constant vigilance and uninterrupted stirring we thought it did. No slow simmer. No gently ladling in broth over and over again.

At Trattoria Masuelli San Marco, the creamy, loose risotto was made lightning- fast with a rollicking, dump-and-go style __ a method we were happy to adapt for weeknights.

In this recipe from our book "Cook What You Have," which draws on pantry staples to assemble easy, delicious meals, we add half the liquid early and depend only on brisk intermittent stirring. That's enough to agitate the Arborio rice and release its starch, thickening the cooking liquid and producing the creamy consistency that's the hallmark of great risotto.

This version is rich with Italian sausage, which usually comes loaded with additional spices like fennel seed and black pepper. Use sweet or hot, depending on your preference, and remove it from the casing before adding it to the pan, which aids in breaking it into smaller bits.

Sun-dried tomatoes are added at the end for a splash of color and tangy sweetness, while Parmesan cheese lends umami and subtle nutty flavor.

https://www.177milkstreet.com/recipes/risotto-sausage-sun-dried-tomatoes

Start to finish: 40 minutes

Servings: 4

1 quart low-sodium chicken broth

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

8 ounces sweet OR hot Italian sausage, casing removed

1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 cup Arborio rice

1/4 cup drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

? cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley OR basil

1 ounce Parmesan cheese, finely grated (1/2 cup), plus more to serve

In a medium saucepan over medium, bring the broth and 2 cups water, covered, to a simmer.

text insert webselectnews-2