Did you know that reading Carnaroli is not enough to make sure that the rice purchased is really Carnaroli? Let's find out everything about the difference between Carnaroli and classic Carnaroli.
When we talk about quality rice, one type in particular immediately comes to mind: Carnaroli . And it is not uncommon to come across many boxes in supermarkets where we find the words riso carnaroli, ideal for risottos.
Everything seems normal, after all, it's written on the box, why shouldn't it be like this? Well, because the truth is that we need to clarify for a moment what Carnaroli really is.
The history of Carnaroli
Let's start from the origins, which to tell the truth are not as ancient as one might think. Carnaroli rice is a variety of rice that was selected only in 1946, from the cross between Vialone and Lencino . Despite being a young rice, its characteristics are very similar to those of an ancient rice, such as its very long vegetative cycle, its slow development and late harvesting.
Yet, its large, pearly grains, with excellent resistance to cooking, repay all the problems of its cultivation: Carnaroli, in fact, when it arrives on the plate fears no comparison and still presents itself as one of the best, if not the best rice ever.
Rice and grills concept
But let's go back to our initial question: why is it that even where we read Carnaroli there isn't a real Carnaroli? To answer we must go back to 1958, when law 325 was introduced into the Italian rice production chain, a law that introduced the concept of grids , that is, a limited number of types of rice made up of the most famous rices (therefore Carnaroli, Arborio, Baldo and so on). Street). Within some categories, however, other varieties can be found. And among these there is also Carnaroli.
To put it simply, therefore, when we are at the supermarket and we buy a pack of rice, even if we read Carnaroli it does not necessarily mean that it is what will actually be inside the box. Indeed, to tell the truth, a third of the content is usually Karnak , a type of market rice. But not only that: we can also find Carnise, Keope, Zar, Carnaval and many other qualities that are part of the Carnaroli grid.
The Classic Carnaroli
Fortunately, the misunderstanding was resolved with a decree of 17 August 2018, where producers were given the opportunity to name their rice classic where the rice was 100% of the indicated quality. Hence the birth (or rather, rebirth) of Carnaroli Classico, a rice that is declaredly 100% Carnaroli.
In short, if you really want to enjoy a good risotto, prepared with real Carnaroli, all you have to do is pay attention to the label.
Our Classic Carnaroli
The classic Carnaroli from laBalocchina is top quality . It has a large, oval-shaped grain and an opalescent central pearl that helps absorb flavors and aromas during cooking thanks to its porous surface.