Recipe: Sausage & Red Pepper Risotto
Alessandro Cozzolino, Executive Chef at Villa San Michele in Florence, looked back to childhood memories for this recipe. He took inspiration from his mother’s stuffed charcoal bell peppers dish, adding Gran Mugello cheese and Casentino sausage for a Florence recipe with authentic, elevated flair.
Ingredients
- 150g / 5 ⅓ oz carnaroli rice (Chef Alessandro recommends Riserva San Massimo)
- 4 organic red bell peppers
- 80g / 2 ⅘ oz Casentino sausage, or high-quality Italian sausage
- 20g / 1 ½ tbsp fennel seeds
- Gran Mugello cheese
- A knob of butter
- A drizzle of olive oil
- 500ml / 2 cups water
- 500ml / 2 cups vegetable broth
Instructions
Step 1 / 8
Grill the bell peppers until they are very nearly blackened. Remove the charred skin and seeds, and blend the flesh with a drizzle of olive oil to create a coulis.
Step 2 / 8
Take half the sausage meat and roll it into several small balls. Fry them in a pan.
Step 3 / 8
Roast the other half of the sausage until cooked, but still juicy. Then, crumble it into small pieces — this will be added when stirring the risotto.
Step 4 / 8
Prepare a fennel powder by grinding the fennel seeds.
Step 5 / 8
Toast the rice in a dry pan. Slowly add the water and let it cook for around 12 minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 6 / 8
When the rice is half cooked, slowly add the vegetable broth and cook for a further 12 minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 7 / 8
Add the roasted sausage balls, the knob of butter and the charcoal bell pepper coulis.
Step 8 / 8
Finally, stir in some finely grated cheese and fennel powder to taste, followed by the remaining sausage.
Sausage & Red Pepper Risotto
Discover Chef Alessandro Cozzolino's culinary inspirations as he prepares the dish
You might also enjoy
The South African Fashion Designers To Watch
As Cape Town’s cultural dynamism goes from strength to strength, Johannesburg-based writer Zanele Kumalo spotlights the fashion scene’s game-changing names to know.
Recipe: Spaghetti alla Elizabeth Taylor
Deceptively simple but with depths of flavour: enter the humble tomato spaghetti, named after the Hollywood starlet who loved it so.
Breaking Bread with Luiz Filipe
Nestled within whispering distance of Brazil’s Iguassu Falls, Restaurant Y pays tribute to the region’s deep connection with water. Meet Luiz Filipe, the Michelin-starred chef at the helm, who is dedicated to showcasing his country’s rich culinary traditions on the most dramatic natural stage.
Tennis Courts, By Belmond
From serving aces beneath palms in the Thai jungle to match points overlooking the Italian Riviera's azure waters, discover our best hotel tennis courts.
Sunrise to Sunset: A Day by the Ocean in Madeira
Day and night, make the most of Madeira. Discover subtropical gardens, find the archipelago's best surfing spots and dine on ocean-to-table delicacies from the comfort of Reid's Palace.
Taste Travel: Tuscany
Deeply rooted in its agricultural past, 10th century estate Castello di Casole is committed to connecting guests with the bounty of the rolling Tuscan hills. In this new film, we discover Orti del Castello — Chef Daniele Sera’s vision of a farm-to-table ecosystem — curated from the grounds and producers that surround the Castello.
La Villeggiatura Monopoly
With summer in full swing, we learn yet another way to master the art of the Italian getaway. Discover Belmond’s special edition of MONOPOLY La Villeggiatura, a playful twist on the classic game that weaves together our legendary locations – from the Amalfi Coast to Liguria, via Costa Smeralda and Tuscany.