Preparing a traditional risotto with rice requires lots of patience and especially constant stirring!  Using short pasta instead of rice reduces the cooking time and simplifies the procedure as you will not need to stir all the time.  Besides, most probably you always have pasta at home … but are you always stocked with risotto rice?  You will be delighted to see that the result is a perfectly al dente and creamy risotto.

4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pressed garlic clove
1 chopped onion

500 g risoni (a form of short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice) – you can actually use any kind of short pasta, even spaghetti broken in small pieces!

1 ½ liter hot vegetable or chicken broth
180 g fresh green beans or green asparagus (can be frozen but not canned)

500 g sliced mushrooms – the ones you prefer
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper
parsley finely chopped

In a pot where you have the simmering broth, add the green beans or asparagus.

In a larger pot melt butter, add olive oil (the oil prevents the butter from burning).  Add garlic and onion; turn down the heat as soon as they begin to look light brown.  Immediately add pasta and mushrooms, stir well, cook for 5 min.

You can start adding the hot broth in stages, replenishing as it is absorbed into the pasta.  Stir it from time to time so it does not stick to the pan.  This procedure of adding the liquid in stages should take you approx. 15 min.  By then the small pasta is already cooked al dente.

Add your green beans or asparagus that were simmering together with the broth.

Stir in half of the grated parmesan cheese.  Season with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and rest parmesan cheese.  Delicious as a main dish with a green salad or served as a side.