INGREDIENTS
6 cups chicken stock
4 tbsp olive oil
1 large yellow onion, diced
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
2 spicy Italian sausages (meat removed from casings)
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated
2 tbsp butter, at room temperature
2 pinches saffron
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large sauce pan, bring stock to a boil and reduce heat to low; keep warm. Add saffron to wine and let sit.
In a medium sized frying pan, heat 2 tbsp olive oil and add sausage meat. Break sausage down to pea-size pieces. Cook for 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and reserve.

Heat remaining oil in large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1 tsp salt and sauté for 3-4 min. Add rice and cook, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes; add wine and let reduce until it is absorbed.

Add stock a ladle or 2 at a time, stirring after each addition until liquid is absorbed. Repeat until most of stock has been absorbed, maintaining rice at a simmer throughout. Taste rice for texture and when al dente (the grain should have just a suggestion of resistance when bitten) is reached, add cooked sausage meat and stir until heated. Remove from heat and add cheese and butter. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Optional: Drizzle 5 drops of truffle oil over the risotto just before serving. Makes 6 servings.
Tip: With leftover risotto, make risotto cakes with chilled rice. Scoop cold risotto into a ball and flatten it to 1/2-inch thick to for a cake. Sauté in 1/2 tsp butter and 1/2 tsp olive oil for each cake, for about 10 – 12 minutes or until golden on each side.