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1
Keep the meat broth at a low simmer in a separate pot throughout. It must never be cold when added to the rice.
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2
Melt the 60 g of butter in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and cook, stirring, until fully translucent and without colour. Add the rice and toast it in the butter, stirring constantly, until each grain is coated and lightly sealed — the tostatura is complete when the rice has turned slightly opaque at its edges.
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3
Pour in the dry white wine. Stir continuously until the wine is fully absorbed and the sharp vinous smell has softened to a faint fragrance.
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4
Add the hot broth one ladleful at a time, stirring frequently and waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding the next. Maintain a steady, active simmer. Continue for 16–18 minutes from the first addition of broth. The dish lives or dies here: it is the gradual, patient addition of hot broth — never all at once — combined with constant motion that releases the surface starch and builds the characteristic creaminess; a risotto made with broth added in bulk, or with insufficient stirring, cannot be retrieved.
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5
Begin testing the rice at 16 minutes. The correct moment is when the grains are al dente — a distinct but not harsh resistance at the core when pressed between the teeth.
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6
Remove the pan from the heat. Add the cold cubed butter and all the freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. Stir vigorously for 30–60 seconds. If the consistency is too dense, add a small splash of hot broth. Rest for 30 seconds off-heat to allow the cheese to integrate fully. The mantecatura is complete when the risotto flows slowly, like lava, when the pan is tilted — the all'onda test.
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7
Serve immediately on warm plates. The risotto should spread lazily across the plate surface when plated — the wave confirms correct consistency and temperature.