Italian issues word of warning on ordering one specific dish at a restaurant

An Italian food blogger has warned about ordering one particular classic Italian dish when dining out.

When it comes to food, few countries have a reputation for being as particular about the precise way of doing things as Italy.

The twists and turns, the infinite dos and don'ts of Italian cuisine can be dizzying to someone trying the food for the first time.

It might be not having cheese on seafood pasta, no cappuccino after 11am, never breaking spaghetti before cooking, not using garlic and onion together, and of course never, ever putting pineapple on pizza.

But Tuscan-born food blogger Jessica Montanelli has some tips about how to look out for the best of one particular famous Italian dish.

Risotto is a classic of northern Italian food (Cris Cantón/Getty)

This is the northern Italian staple of risotto - large grains of rice usually toasted off and then cooked in white wine and whatever stock you prefer.

It's a dish that is very simple on principle but nonetheless very tricky to get right, as the rice should be al dente and not the consistency of cheesy porridge by the time it's served.

Preparing it at home is one thing, but consistently cooking such a technically fiddly dish in a lunch rush is something else entirely.

"In restaurants, it's usually par-cooked," Montanelli explained. "Meaning they cook it halfway and finish cooking only when it's ordered, to have a perfect al dente texture, and creamy consistency like freshly made."

This is the best way to cook it, because it has to be finished to order or you will end up with savoury rice pudding.

Italian food is highly varied (istetiana/Getty)

"Risotto can never be fully made ahead because once it's fully cooked, it will quickly turn sticky, the grain will get grainy and mushy, and you will never be able to get the right consistency back," said Montanelli.

She added: "If risotto is reheated, you'll notice right away. But you won't know until you order it."

Of course, you could ask ahead of time which places are the best to go.

Italian food is also highly varied by region, with risotto hailing from Milan in the north.

Northern Italian food is heartier, with more meat and butter, and characterised by rich, intense dishes like risotto and osso bucco.

Meanwhile, in the south you will see less meat and butter, with more focus on fresh vegetables, tomatoes, olives, fragrant herbs, and olive oil.

With that in mind, if you're planning to visit Italy and eat certain foods, try to go to a part of Italy which is known for that dish.

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