Serves 4
Notes
No food should be wasted, but when you cook risotto you might intentionally make a little more so that the next day you can have it al salto. Al salto means “to flip” and that’s what you do to this pancake when it is crisp and crunchy on one side. It is delicious by itself or as an accompaniment to meats. You can serve vegetables or a poached egg on top, or make it into a pizza by adding sauce and cheese and setting it under the broiler.
Ingredients
- 2 cups leftover Risotto alla Milanese or any other risotto, at room temperature (see here)
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated Grana Padano cheese
- 1 to 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
In a small bowl stir the risotto and the grated cheese together. Choose a heavy, well-seasoned 8-inch cast iron skillet. Melt one tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat until the butter is foaming. Add the risotto and spread it evenly in the pan with a large spoon, pressing down so it fills the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Cook until the underside is well browned and crisp, 5 to 6 minutes. Shake the pan frequently to prevent the rice from sticking and press on it occasionally to help the pancake brown evenly.
Remove the skillet from the heat. Shake the pan to make sure the pancake isn’t sticking at all. Place a plate large enough to hold the rice cake over the skillet. Carefully invert the risotto pancake onto the plate. Add the remaining tablespoon butter to the pan and heat until foaming. Slide the pancake back into the pan uncooked side down. Cook as above until the second side is brown and crisp, about 4 minutes and serve. Invert the pancake onto a serving plate and serve immediately.
