Chestnut Risotto with Sage Butter

An autumn risotto where sweet chestnuts melt into the rice and a bubbling noisette butter with crisp sage leaves crowns every bowl — the woods of autumn, on a plate.

Amount	Ingredient
1	onion
2 cloves	garlic
7 oz (200 g)	cooked chestnuts
½ bunch	fresh sage
3½ tbsp (50 g)	butter
1 cup (100 g)	Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
3⅓ cups (8 dl)	vegetable broth, hot
1 tbsp	olive oil
1¼ cups (250 g)	risotto rice (Carnaroli or Arborio)
¾ cup (2 dl)	white wine
	salt and pepper, to taste

When the first chestnuts appear at the market, northern Italian kitchens start making this risotto. The chestnuts are simmered right with the rice, releasing their sweet, earthy flavor into every grain, while the star of the show is the burro alla salvia — butter heated until it foams, turns nut-brown, and smells of hazelnuts, with sage leaves crackling crisp inside. It's poured over the mantecato risotto at the end: a golden, fragrant finish that turns a humble bowl of rice into something unforgettable.

Ingredient notes: Use vacuum-packed or jarred cooked chestnuts for speed — they're already soft and sweet. If using fresh chestnuts, score, roast or boil them, and peel while warm. The sage butter needs good butter: the milk solids are what brown and smell like hazelnuts.

• Large, heavy-bottomed saucepan
• Small saucepan or skillet (for the sage butter)
• Wooden spoon
• Paper towels

1. Sauté the aromatics (2 min). Heat the olive oil in the pan. Add the finely chopped onion and garlic and cook until golden — about 2 minutes.
2. Toast the rice (2 min). Add the rice and toast, stirring, until the grains turn translucent. Add the chestnuts (reserving a few for garnish) and let them warm through.
3. Deglaze and cook (20 min). Deglaze with the wine and let it reduce almost completely. Add the hot broth one ladle at a time, stirring often, keeping the rice just covered. Simmer for about 20 minutes until creamy and al dente.
4. Make the sage butter (5 min). While the risotto cooks, heat the butter in a small pan. Add the sage leaves and cook until the butter foams, turns nut-brown, and smells of hazelnuts and the sage is crisp. Remove from the heat and blot the excess oil with paper towels.
5. Mantecatura (2 min). Off the heat, stir the Parmigiano into the risotto. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Serve (1 min). Plate the risotto, pour over the hot sage butter, and garnish with the crisp sage leaves and reserved chestnuts.

• Watch the butter like a hawk. Noisette butter goes from perfect to burnt in seconds. Pull it off the heat the moment it smells nutty.
• Blot the sage. Paper towels absorb the excess butter so the leaves turn crackling-crisp, not soggy.
• Reserve some chestnuts. Whole or halved chestnuts on top make the dish look as good as it tastes.
• Keep the broth hot. Cold stock ruins the creaminess of the rice.
• Toast until translucent. Sealing the grains is what makes the risotto creamy, not gluey.
• Salt at the end. The Parmigiano brings plenty of salt; taste before adding more.

Mistake	Why It Hurts	The Fix
Burning the butter	Bitter, smoky sauce	Remove from heat the moment it turns nut-brown
Adding cold broth	Uneven cooking, sticky rice	Keep the broth at a bare simmer
Overcooking the rice	Porridge	Taste at 18 minutes; keep a faint bite
Skipping the toast	Flat, sticky grains	Toast 2 minutes until translucent
Over-salting	The cheese pushes it over	Season after the mantecatura
Using stale sage	Woody, flavorless garnish	Use fresh sage; dried sage won't crisp

• Porcini Chestnut: Add 5 oz of sliced sautéed porcini with the chestnuts for a double woodland hit.
• Truffle Chestnut: Shave fresh black truffle over each bowl — decadent and unforgettable.
• Sage-Pumpkin: Replace half the chestnuts with roasted pumpkin cubes.
• Crispy Pancetta: Crumble crispy pancetta over the top for a savory crunch.
• Chestnut Cream: Purée a third of the chestnuts with a little broth and stir in at the mantecatura for extra silk.

Storage Method	Details
Refrigerator	Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Freezer	Not recommended — the creamy emulsion breaks on thawing.
Reheating	Warm gently in a skillet with a splash of broth, stirring until creamy.

This is a rich, earthy autumn dish — reach for full-bodied, nutty wines:

• Gavi di Gavi — Crisp and mineral, cuts through the richness.
• Chardonnay (oaked) — Buttery notes echo the sage butter.
• Pinot Nero (Pinot Noir) — Light, fruity red that matches the earthy chestnuts.
• Lugana — Soft and nutty, a lovely regional pairing.
• Franciacorta Brut — Bubbles and acidity balance the butter.

Per Serving (about 1¼ cups)
Calories	540
Protein	13 g
Fat	18 g
Carbohydrates	78 g
Fiber	5 g

Nutrition values are approximate and will vary with brand choices and substitutions.

Can I use fresh chestnuts?

Yes — score an X on each, roast or boil until tender, and peel while warm. It adds about 30 minutes of prep.

What is noisette butter?

Butter cooked until the milk solids brown and it smells like hazelnuts — "beurre noisette" in French. It's the soul of this dish.

Can I make this vegan?

Yes — use olive oil for the sage "butter" and a vegan Parmigiano-style grating cheese.

Do I have to peel fresh chestnuts?

If using pre-cooked vacuum-packed chestnuts, no peeling needed. Fresh ones must be peeled while warm.

Can I freeze chestnuts?

Yes — cooked chestnuts freeze well for up to 3 months in a sealed bag.

• Risotto alla Zucca (Volume 3)
• Risotto ai Funghi e Tartufo (Volume 3)
• Risotto alle Castagne (Volume 3)

Recipe from "The Italian Kitchen" by Vita Milanese — Volume 3: Risotto & Rice

Recipe from The Italian Kitchen by Vita Milanese — Volume 3 · Risotto & Rice. Discover all volumes on the ebook page.