Risotto is a typically Italian dish the recipe for which originates from the River Po valley. It is based on one main ingredient, rice , which is cooked in a specific way.
Italians adore it because:

- it is creamy and smooth
- the grain stays al dente
- it is versatile and lends itself to an enormous variety of easily-prepared recipes

To prepare this tasty dish, the rice must be cooked in a particular way: it is not boiled in water and left to drain, but cooked so that the stock is gradually absorbed until no liquid remains at all.
Cooking the rice in this way produces a creamy mixture which retains the flavours of the cooking ingredients, whilst maintaining a grain firm enough to please.
An infinite variety of ingredients may be added as desired to create different, unique recipes.

Just like all Italian dishes, Risotto came into being as the simplest way to use naturally available ingredients without leaving any waste.

The absorption method probably had its origins in medieval times. In those days nothing could be wasted and the precious goodness released from meat and vegetables boiled in water certainly would not have been thrown away.
This water was therefore used to cook the rice. The delicately flavoured water, later known as stock, gave the rice such a delicious taste that, from then on, rice was always cooked in this way in Italy .
Every so often other ingredients were added to the rice and stock, such as vegetables, meat and cheese.
What was originally developed to satisfy a particular need has become one of the greatest Italian culinary traditions.