You could also substitute farro, which is a whole grain similar to brown rice. It's frequently used in Italy in risotto-like preparations, and the translation to English usually calls it farotto.
I often make "risotto" with millet. But my Italian purist friends remind me it's not really risotto without the rice. It is, however, really delicious.
sdebrango makes a VERY important point with Riso Vignola. In my experience, not every brown rice will behave like arborio. I had some pretty sad results with "generic" brands.
Yes, so true; you want a brown rice that sort of looks like arborio -- chubby and short-grained -- which will soften up and provide the starch you need to get a good sauce. ;o)
I agree with both Zombie Cupcake and Antonia James, I make risotto with Riso Vignola which is similar to arborio rice only it's whole grain brown rice and it's delicious.
I use riso vignola as well, and love it. I takes a bit longer to cook, and requires a bit more stock - probably 4 to 8 ounces more, and perhaps an additional 10 minutes. And leftovers will, as with all risottos, set up quite firm, so be prepared to use additional stock to reheat it. Buon appetito!
Absolutely not! It will make the recipe taste better. The texture will be a bit chewier, but to my mind, that will improve the dish, too! Go for it. ;o)
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