Vialone Nano Rice: Italy’s Top Risotto Grain and Its Regional Tradition

“Vialone Nano is a great rice, one of Italy’s leading rice varieties.” The local specialty product was also featured in the program hosted by Antonella Clerici, La prova del cuoco, which airs every morning at 11:30 on Rai 1, where rice and risottos were discussed. “Vialone Nano,” said Beppe Bigazzi, “is one of the three major rices, alongside carnaroli and arborio, used for risotto; then there are varieties for soups, desserts, and so on. It is used for risottos and baked dishes; it’s one of Italy’s major rices but has its own characteristics, with a more rounded grain compared to the long-grain carnaroli and arborio. It’s suitable for risottos because it releases starch, but not too much.” “The grain, then,” he continued, “acts like a sponge in risotto, absorbing all flavors and integrating them, which is why it’s also good for baked dishes. It incorporates them, so when you eat a risotto made with Vialone Nano, you don’t just taste the risotto, but a unique flavor.”

Rice Processing and the Tradition of Isola della Scala

Representing Isola della Scala, the town in Basso Veronese known for its rice production, was the Melotti family — father Giuseppe and his sons Gianmaria and Luca. With the help of an old rice husker dating back to the 1900s, still used today for rice trials, they explained, on a small scale, the steps of processing the cereal, which transforms paddy rice into wholegrain rice, and subsequently into semi-processed and white rice. They also spoke about rice flour, used to make sweets and cookies, which the host appeared to appreciate.

Gianmaria Melotti recalled that Vialone Nano Veronese has also received recognition at the European level. Every year, Isola della Scala hosts the Rice Fair, and in the latest edition, 220,000 risottos were consumed. “Next time,” said Antonella Clerici, “we’ll come too.”