Mushroom risotto (€18) & Seafood fregola (€22)!

Monday Italy trip dinner with BB — mushroom risotto €18 + seafood fregola €22. Authentic Italian dinner.

We ordered:

• Mushroom risotto — €18
• Seafood fregola — €22

Total: €40 (~SGD$62 at 2019 exchange).

The Italy trip continues — proper authentic Italian dining at source.

The mushroom risotto (risotto ai funghi) is the iconic Italian rice dish. Standard preparation:

• Italian short-grain risotto rice (Arborio or Carnaroli)
• Mixed mushrooms (porcini classical, sometimes truffle)
• Slow-cooked with proper risotto technique
• Continuous broth addition + stirring
• Butter + Parmigiano-Reggiano finishing
• The proper creamy “all’onda” (wavy) texture

The proper Italian risotto execution:

• Toast rice grains in butter/oil first
• Add wine for initial deglaze
• Continuous broth ladle additions
• Constant stirring for proper starch release
• 18-22 minute cooking duration
• The proper Italian “mantecatura” finishing (butter + cheese vigorous mixing)

The seafood fregola is the Sardinian specialty. Fregola (Sardinian: fregula) is the proper toasted pasta pearls:

• Semolina flour rolled into pearls
• Toasted for proper nutty flavour
• Similar to couscous but larger + toasted character
• The proper Sardinian regional cuisine heritage

Seafood fregola preparation:

• Fregola pasta cooked in seafood broth
• Mixed seafood (clams, mussels, prawns, sometimes squid)
• Tomato base or saffron base
• Olive oil + garlic + parsley finishing
• The proper “Sardinian-coastal cuisine” execution

At €40 (~SGD$62) for the proper Italian sit-down dinner, this represents proper authentic Italy mid-tier dining pricing. Significantly cheaper than equivalent Singapore Italian restaurant.

The Italy food trip experience:

• Authentic preparation at source
• Significantly cheaper pricing vs. Singapore
• Proper regional cuisine variation
• The proper “Italy is cheaper for Italian food” reality

Overall: 4.8 / 5. 😋👍🏼 Excellent authentic Italian dinner. Would re-visit Italy.

Original IG post