Risotto alla Trevigiana – also called risotto alla Trevisana or risotto con radicchio – is a classic Venetian risotto from Treviso, traditionally made with radicchio tardivo. The province of Treviso is famous for its radicchio, especially tardivo, which grows in tight elongated bunches with thick white ribs and only a little red leaf. Producing radicchio tardivo is a complicated two-step process (see FAQ below), so it can be hard to find outside Italy — but it’s worth seeking out from specialty greengrocers and farmers’ markets in winter, for its authenticity and mild bitterness. I have chef Col Barker from Megalong Lot 101 to thank for mine, so you may be able to pick some up at the Saturday markets at his Tea Rooms. If you can’t find it, a regular round Chioggia radicchio works well — include as much of the white rib as possible; the risotto will be pinker (see photo in the print-friendly version) and still taste delicious. I like the extra sweetness red onion adds to this radicchio risotto (especially when made with the more bitter varieties), though brown onion is traditional and either works well. Treviso being the home of Prosecco, that’s the wine often used in a risotto alla Trevigiana — and the rest of the bottle makes a delicious accompaniment. A crisp pinot grigio works beautifully too, like the one from New Era on the Limestone Coast of South Australia — its white floral notes and crisp granny smith apple and grapefruit lift the risotto and cut through its creaminess. Vialone nano rice is traditional for Venetian risottos, but carnaroli works if that’s what you have.
Serves 4 as a starter
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Treviso’s radicchio risotto can go by either name. Trevigiana refers to the province of Treviso, historically the Marca Trevigiana, the medieval march (fortified borderland) around Treviso. Trevisana (or Trevisano in the masculine) refers to something specifically from city of Treviso.
Radicchio Trevigiano – also called radicchio Rosso di Treviso – is the radicchio variety native to the Treviso area. Used on its own, the term ‘Trevisana’ typically means the tardivo radicchio from Treviso: a variety with tight elongated heads, thick white ribs and only a small amount of red leaf. It has a more delicate bitterness than other radicchio varieties and is the traditional choice for risotto alla Trevigiana.
Producing radicchio tardivo is a two-step process. First the elongated Rosso di Treviso is grown as a normal plant outdoors. Then, after the leafy radicchio is harvested, the long tap root is replanted in the dark where it grows a second crop of crunchy white ribs with just a touch of bitter red leaves. This process – called ‘forcing’ or ‘blanching’ – is used on other vegetables, such as rhubarb. White asparagus is also ‘blanched’, though it’s generally just deprived of sunlight by mounding earth or mulch around the stems.
Yes, tardivo is less bitter than other radicchios. It still has some of the typical radicchio bitterness, but the forcing (or blanching) process of growing it in the dark changes its flavour profile significantly. The lingering bitterness of other radicchios is replaced with a more complex bitter-sweet flavour in tardivo.
Risotto con radicchio is the Italian name for any risotto made with radicchio. While risotto alla Trevigiana is the most celebrated version and considered the benchmark, risotto con radicchio can be made with any variety of radicchio.
A traditional Treviso risotto – risotto alla Trevigiana – uses radicchio tardivo di Treviso, which has a more delicate bitterness and is much crunchier due to its thick white ribs. Vialone nano rice and Prosecco – both regional products – are also traditional in a Treviso risotto, giving it a distinctly Venetian (and Trevisano) character that sets it apart from other risotti con radicchio.
No. While radicchio and lettuce are both leafy head-forming vegetables often used in salads, radicchio is part of the chicory family which is known for its bitterness due to a compound called intybin.
