Many diners in Italian and other Mediterranean restaurants have enjoyed a creamy side dish called risotto for decades. A basic risotto recipe can be modified to accommodate any number of spices, vegetables or meats. But what exactly is risotto - a creamy form of rice or pasta?

The answer is a form of rice, although not the familiar grain rices found in Asian cooking. True risotto is created from one of three forms of rice found in Europe: arborio, carnaroli or vialone nano. Of the three, arborio rice is the most commonly used variety for risotto.

To confuse matters a little, there is also a form of pasta called orzo which looks like grains of rice. Orzo is also used as a flavorful side dish in Mediterranean cuisine and prepared with many of the same spices and vegetables as risotto. The difference is that properly cooked risotto becomes a creamy blend, while orzo tends to maintain individual grains similar to cooked Asian rice.

Risotto is actually the name of the finished dish, not the rice itself. To prepare risotto, a cook must first obtain a generous supply of arborio rice. Arborio rice is more of a barley grain than a type of traditional white rice.

Unlike in Asian rice dishes, the rice for risotto is not boiled in water. The arborio rice is first placed in a skillet containing olive oil. The cook must keep stirring the arborio rice through the olive oil until it becomes tender and starchy. Next, some form of meat stock is slowly added to the rice. This is done in small batches, with stock being added as the stirred arborio grains absorb the liquid.

After 20 to 30 minutes of nearly constant stirring, the risotto should be ready to serve. Ideally, the creamy risotto should ooze onto the plate much like a lava flow. It should not be thick like mashed potatoes. Creating a perfect risotto dish takes some practice, but there are such things as instant risotto mixes which purport to cut preparation time significantly. Risotto takes time to prepare properly, but the results are usually worth the effort.