Saffron Risotto with Pancetta, Tomatoes, and Sausage

Ingredients
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 ounces pancetta, finely diced
¹⁄₂ pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed and sausage crumbled (about 2 links)
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Arborio rice
1 ¹⁄₂ cups fresh tomatoes, diced
Pinch saffron (optional)
1 cup white wine
3 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons heavy cream
¹⁄₂ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded or grated
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced

Instructions
1. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add pancetta and cook until crisp.  Remove from pan to paper towel lined plate.  Add sausage to pan and cook, stirring, until completely browned and cooked through.  Remove to plate with pancetta, leaving grease in pan. 

2. Add onion to pan and cook until translucent.  Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Add rice and stir until rice is coated.  Add tomatoes.  Add saffron, rubbing between fingers to crush while adding.  Stir well. 

3. Add wine and cook, stirring, until completely absorbed.  Add ¹⁄₂-1 cup of broth and cook, stirring often, until broth is completely absorbed.  Repeat process until all broth has been added and absorbed and rice is tender. 

4. Reduce heat to low and stir in pancetta, sausage, cream, Parmesan, and parsley.  Garnish with additional Parmesan if desired. 

Comments
This recipe is from Mrs. Regueiro’s Plate and I’d actually forgotten it had saffron in it until now, when I’m posting it.  The saffron doesn’t shine in this dish at all, so I’ll omit it next time.  Otherwise, this recipe is great.  We all loved the risotto, it was a pretty complete meal with a salad.  Leftovers went pretty quickly and we all enjoyed it quite a bit!

Internet - Mrs. Requeiro’s Plate