Spring Vegetable Risotto
Lidia Bastianich, host of the popular PBS cooking show "Lidia's Italian American Kitchen," was chosen to cook for Pope Benedict XVI during his recent visit to New York. She made two dinners for the pope, one last Friday and another on Saturday. Each meal had several courses, and four of the recipes are below.
Spring vegetable risotto with grana padano shavings.
(ABC News)
Spring Vegetable Risotto With Grana Padano Shavings
Recipe courtesy Lidia Bastianich
Makes 6 servings
For the spring "pesto":
1 cup ramp leaves or young leeks 2 cups of spinach or Swiss chard leaves, cleaned and washed ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil1/3 teaspoon salt
For the risotto:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil ½ cup minced scallions (approximately 6 scallions) 1 tablespoon minced shallots 2½ cups Arborio or Carnaroli rice ½ cup dry white wine 6½ cups hot vegetable stock ½ teaspoon salt, or as needed ½ cup fresh shelled peas ½ cup blanched, chopped asparagus 1 cup blanched, peeled and shelled fava beans2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits½ cup grated Grana Padano½ cup freshly shaved Grana PadanoFreshly ground black pepper 
