Italian risotto with sun-dried tomatoes

Start by preparing all the ingredients. It's best to wash the arborio rice well first to remove excess starch and prevent the risotto from becoming sticky. Next, it is important that the broth is hot and ready (ideally next to the stove), as adding cold broth would slow down the cooking process and could affect the final texture of the risotto.

Finely chop the onion and press the garlic through a press. Cut the sun-dried tomatoes into smaller pieces. Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the onion, garlic and sun-dried tomatoes. Sauté until the onions are glassy.

Add the rice and stir to combine well with the mixture in the pan. Then add the white wine (if using) and let it simmer until almost completely evaporated. Then start gradually adding the stock, just enough to cover the rice. Continue adding stock and stirring until the rice is cooked.

Finally, add the grated Parmesan cheese, stir and season lightly with salt and pepper.

Those who want can garnish the plate with fresh basil.