Navelli, L'Aquila, Abruzzo
The saffron of Navelli in the Gran Sasso foothills is considered among the finest in the world — its stigmas are harvested by hand in October, at dawn, before the flowers open. This risotto showcases the saffron without distraction: Carnaroli rice, white wine, good stock (chicken or light lamb), saffron dissolved in warm stock, and finished with pecorino di Farindola (the only Italian cheese made with pork rennet) instead of Parmigiano, which would overpower the delicate stigma character.
Amber-golden, deeply floral, mildly sweet — the world's finest saffron showcased in the simplest possible rice preparation, finished with delicate sheep's milk cheese
{"Saffron dissolved in 50ml of warm (not boiling) stock for 20 minutes before use — heat destroys safranal (the aroma compound)","Pecorino di Farindola as the finishing cheese — its delicate, slightly sweet character complements rather than fights the saffron","Stock must be light and clean (avoid dark roasted stocks) — heavy stock muddles the saffron colour and flavour","Add saffron liquid in the final 5 minutes of cooking, not at the start","Mantecare off the heat: cold butter cut in, stir vigorously for 90 seconds, lid on, 2-minute rest"}
{"A small amount of dry white wine added with the saffron liquid brightens the colour","The risotto should be amber-gold, not orange — too dark indicates over-saffronating or using poor quality","Ground white pepper (not black) at the table preserves the visual elegance of the dish"}
{"Using powdered saffron without blooming — it disperses unevenly and the aroma is weaker","Finishing with Parmigiano Reggiano — the strong dairy character drowns the saffron","Adding saffron too early — prolonged heat converts safranal to less aromatic compounds"}
La Cucina Abruzzese — Massimo Di Felice