There are several types of risotto rice. The easiest to find is arborio; it needs the least cooking time and tends to break down easily. We've used carnaroli here, which is worth seeking out - it holds its shape nicely.
Mushroom and mascarpone risotto
This fast mushroom risotto recipe is sure to become a favourite.
- Serves 4 - 6

Ingredients
- 20 gm dried porcini mushrooms
- 80 gm butter, coarsely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 300 gm Swiss brown mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 5-6 sage leaves, coarsely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 400 gm risotto rice, preferably carnaroli
- 125 ml dry white wine (½ cup)
- 85 gm mascarpone, plus extra to serve (optional) (1/3 cup)
- 35 gm finely grated parmesan, plus extra to serve (1/3 cup)
Method
Main
- 1Soak porcini in a bowl with 700ml boiling water for 10 minutes to soften. Drain, reserving stock. Finely chop mushrooms and reserve. Keep stock warm.
- 2Meanwhile, heat half the butter and half the oil in a saucepan over high heat, add fresh mushrooms and sage and sauté until tender and golden brown (3-5 minutes). Set aside. Add remaining butter and oil to pan along with onion and sauté until golden brown (4-5 minutes). Add rice and stir to coat in oil, then add wine and simmer until evaporated (1 minute). Add reserved stock a ladleful at a time, stirring continuously between additions until most is absorbed before adding the next, until rice is al dente and creamy (13-15 minutes; you may not need all the stock). Season to taste, stir in mascarpone, parmesan and three-quarters of both mushrooms, then serve risotto topped with remaining mushrooms and extra grated parmesan.