A Milanese dinner at home

Antipasto

Bresaola with arugula and Grana Padano

Air-dried beef with arugula · 10 minutes

You’ll need

• 1 bag arugula
• 1 lemon
• 5 oz bresaola (150 g)
• 3 oz Grana Padano (80 g)
• olive oil

How to make it

1. Lay the bresaola on a platter.
2. Top with arugula and shaved cheese.
3. Squeeze over some lemon and drizzle with olive oil.

Wine: Franciacorta, sparkling

Primo

Risotto alla milanese

Saffron risotto · 35 minutes

You’ll need

• 1 onion
• 3 oz Grana Padano (80 g)
• 5½ tbsp butter (80 g)
• 1½ cups risotto rice, such as Carnaroli (320 g)
• 1 packet saffron
• 5 cups chicken broth (1.2 liters)
• scant ½ cup dry white wine (100 ml)

How to make it

1. Soften the finely chopped onion in half the butter.
2. Add the rice and toast for a minute. Add the wine.
3. Add hot broth a ladle at a time, stirring, for about 18 minutes.
4. Dissolve the saffron in a little broth and stir it in.
5. Finish with the rest of the butter and the grated cheese.

Wine: Lugana, a white

Secondo

Ossobuco

Braised veal shanks with gremolata · 2½ hours

You’ll need

• 4 slices veal shank, about 2½ lb (1.2 kg)
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lemon
• 2 garlic cloves
• 3½ tbsp butter (50 g)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes, 14 oz (400 g)
• ¾ cup dry white wine (200 ml)
• 1¼ cups beef broth (300 ml)
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour

How to make it

1. Flour the shanks and brown them in butter.
2. Add the chopped vegetables and soften them.
3. Add the wine, tomatoes and broth. Braise covered for about 2 hours.
4. For the gremolata, mix chopped parsley, garlic and lemon zest.
5. Serve the gremolata on top of the meat, with risotto.

Wine: Valtellina Superiore, a red

Dolce

Torta sbrisolona

Crumbly almond cake · 50 minutes

You’ll need

• 1 lemon
• 2 egg yolks
• 10 tbsp butter (150 g)
• 1 cup whole almonds (150 g)
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour (150 g)
• ⅔ cup fine cornmeal (100 g)
• ¾ cup sugar (150 g)

How to make it

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Chop the almonds coarsely.
3. Rub everything together into a crumbly mix.
4. Scatter into a pan without pressing, and bake for about 40 minutes.
5. Break into pieces. This cake is never sliced.

Wine: Oltrepò Pavese Moscato, sweet

Shopping list

Produce

• 1 bag arugula
• 1 lemon
• 1 onion
• 1 onion
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery stalk
• 1 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1 lemon
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 lemon

Meat and deli

• 5 oz bresaola (150 g)
• 4 slices veal shank, about 2½ lb (1.2 kg)

Cheese and dairy

• 3 oz Grana Padano (80 g)
• 3 oz Grana Padano (80 g)
• 5½ tbsp butter (80 g)
• 3½ tbsp butter (50 g)
• 2 egg yolks
• 10 tbsp butter (150 g)

Pantry

• olive oil
• 1½ cups risotto rice, such as Carnaroli (320 g)
• 1 packet saffron
• 5 cups chicken broth (1.2 liters)
• scant ½ cup dry white wine (100 ml)
• 1 can crushed tomatoes, 14 oz (400 g)
• ¾ cup dry white wine (200 ml)
• 1¼ cups beef broth (300 ml)
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole almonds (150 g)
• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour (150 g)
• ⅔ cup fine cornmeal (100 g)
• ¾ cup sugar (150 g)

Wine

• Franciacorta (antipasto)
• Lugana (primo)
• Valtellina Superiore (secondo)
• Oltrepò Pavese Moscato (dolce)

Franciacorta sparkling wine is easy to find in good wine shops. For the reds, ask for a Nebbiolo if there’s no Valtellina.