Carnaroli Rice

When Napoleon Bonaparte was ceded the Lucedio Estate in 1807, it's hard to imagine he intended to spend the time and effort that its future owner, Count Paolo Cavalli d'Olivola, would spend to grow Italy's finest rice. But when the Count handed the 800 year old farm over to his daughter Countess Rosetta Clara, her mission was clear--make the absolute best rice for risotto possible--and she did.

Carnaroli is the preferred rice of Piemontese chefs, and after the risotto I had made with the Lucedio carnaroli this past week, I have to agree with them--the larger grain holds more starch per grain--so the final product takes more stock than Arborio, and has more flavor as well as plumping up, with a velvety texture. The rice is very difficult to grow and with a small yield per stalk, so growing carnaroli is a labor of love on the Lucedio Estate. The link in the title takes you to the best price for this rice I could find.