Sausage and sun-dried tomato risotto doesn’t require all that extra stirring

It turns out we’ve all been cooking risotto the wrong way. On a trip to Milan, the cooks at Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street learned a lightning-fast risotto that does not require constant vigilance and uninterrupted stirring. They add half the liquid early and depend only on brisk intermittent stirring. That’s enough to agitate the Arborio rice and release its starch, thickening the cooking liquid and producing a creamy consistency. Their version is rich with Italian sausage, which usually comes loaded with additional spices like fennel seed and black pepper. Sun-dried tomatoes are added at the end for a splash of color and tangy sweetness, while Parmesan cheese lends umami and subtle nutty flavor.