Risotto, the most typical of northern Italian dishes, actually has its origins in the south. It is believed that risotto giallo alla milanese originates from “rice with zafran” – a dish of pilau rice with saffron brought to Sicily by the Arabs. Today Sicilian arancini (rice balls) are still made from saffron risotto.
But the Milanese have a more romantic take on the history of one of their favourite dishes. Legend has it that on 8 September 1574, the daughter of Valerio di Fiandra, a craftsman making the stained-glass windows of the duomo, was getting married. One of the apprentices, who used saffron to colour the glass, came up with the idea of taking the white risotto that was to be served at the wedding banquet and turning it gold like his windows by adding the spice. The taste and golden colour of the new dish was a hit with the guests and the addition of saffron to rice was widely adopted.
Renowned Italian chef Gualtiero Marchesi occasionally adds a thin layer of gold to the dish, to complement the intense yellow of the saffron. This version is on the menu at his Marchesino restaurant, next to La Scala.
But the best place in Milan to eat it is Trattoria Masuelli San Marco on Viale Umbria, near Piazzale Martini, east of the centre. A trattoria established in 1921, it’s one of the few places that still uses the traditional recipe, which includes making a broth with five types of meat. It’s delicious.
• Luca Gaggioli is the chef at Il Cudega in London Fields (Railwayarch 358, Westgate Street E8, ilcudega.com), a restaurant and deli devoted to Lombardy cuisine
