Palmabella's Passions

Yes, I said BAKED and RISOTTO in the same recipe. I found this delicious and simple recipe at Janie's blog, Panini Girl. It is a delicious side dish with chicken, pork or in our case, a turkey cutlet.

It starts out on the stove, and then is baked for 25-30 minutes. It is a great way to use those giant bags of baby spinach, when you are tired of salads! Give it a try.

Baked Risotto with Spinach and Parmigiano

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, minced
Kosher salt to taste
1 cup Arborio rice
2 cups chicken stock
4 cups loosely packed fresh spinach leaves, dried and chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a 1-1/2 quart saucepan combine the oil, onion and salt over medium heat. Stir to coat with the oil and saute until the onion is translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the rice, stirring to coat with oil. Add the chicken stock, spinach and nutmeg and a little salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir in half of the cheese. Transfer to a 1 quart souffle dish and smooth top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.

Place the dish in oven and bake until the rice is cooked through and has absorbed most of the liquid, about 25-30 minutes. The baked rice should be moist, but not soupy. Serve immediately. Serves: 4