Lucas Hollweg
Grab an Italian masterpiece for less

The broad beans are really just a finishing flourish, an extra scattering of green. Feel free to stick to peas on their own.
Serves 2
200g peas, fresh or frozen
2 handfuls of broad beans, fresh or frozen
Up to 1 litre stock (chicken, preferably, or veg)
Butter
1 tbsp olive oil
½ medium onion
1 clove of garlic
Stick of celery
180g risotto rice, preferably carnaroli
60ml dry white wine
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
A handful of mint leaves, plus a few extra small ones
2 handfuls of grated pecorino
If using fresh peas, cook 150g for about 3 minutes, then purée; if using frozen, leave to defrost, then purée 150g. Keep the remaining 50g to one side. Cook the broad beans until just done (about 5 minutes — try one to test), tip into a sieve and cool under the cold tap. Slip the beans from their skins and keep to one side.
Pour the stock into a saucepan and bring to a simmer. In another largeish saucepan, melt a knob of butter with 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the onion, garlic and celery and sweat over a gentle heat for about 5 minutes until soft. Stir in the rice until thoroughly coated in the butter. Turn up the heat a little and add the white wine. Let it bubble, then stir until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Add half the pea purée, then a ladleful of the stock. Cook, stirring constantly, until the stock has been absorbed, then add another ladleful and repeat. Repeat until the rice is cooked, adding the remaining pea purée and whole peas 5 minutes before the end. The process should take 17-20 minutes from when you added the first stock, depending on the rice and pan. The risotto should flow like magma and the rice should have texture but no chalkiness.
Remove from the heat and season. Chop the mint and stir in, with another big knob of butter and the pecorino. Cover and rest for 4 minutes. Divide between four bowls and scatter with the broad beans — and a tiny leaf or three of mint — then serve.
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