Risotto

Melt a tablespoon of butter, add a heaped tablespoon of chopped shallots and cook for a minute.

Add the rice; stir and cook a couple of minutes until it smells nutty.

Add the white wine; when absorbed, add stock little by little, stirring constantly, in about a dozen installments.

Start tasting as the rice looks cooked; stop while the rice is still a hair crunchy so it is slightly al dente when eaten.

Off the heat, melt in the grated pecorino. About 20 minutes from shallots to finish.

Variation, flood method: same butter, shallots, rice and wine; pour in almost as much stock as the rice will need, enough to submerge about twice as much rice, and leave over medium heat untouched about 10 minutes until most is absorbed.

Variation, flood method continued: add more stock in tiny doses with stirring for the last few minutes until done; finish with cheese.

Variation, no stirring: add a measured 450 ml of stock at once and do not touch it for 20 minutes; stir in the cheese once at the end.

Variation, washed rice: swish the rice in water, pour off the starchy water and repeat until it runs clearer; then cook the normal way, stirring only for the last two-thirds.