How To Make Italian Sushi

Christmas Sushi

 A few years back, I 'invented' something I call Italian sushi.  I'm usually in charge of apps for Thanksgiving dinner and Christmas dinner, and this dish has become a staple at the Christmas appetizer spread for my Italian family.  It's got the red and green, lots of flavor and they're simple to eat-just pop those suckers in your mouth.  I'm often asked how to make this party-perfect treat, so I'm sharing my recipe with you.

All you need for Italian Sushi

 First, you need your ingredients.  You need good, imported prosciutto-this is your seaweed.  If you want this to work, you need to get fine prosciutto like Di Parma or San Danielle, you have to be willing to get the 24.99/lb or over stuff, it makes rolling and keeping it together easier.  Next you need your risotto-this is your sticky rice.  I make a batch of risotto milanese-the recipe is usually found on the back of any package of arborio rice.  When my risotto is warm, I toss grated parmigiana or grana padano and black pepper into it, which kind of thickens it and makes it a little sticky-perfect for rolling.  Then you need your filling.  I prefer some sauteed asparagus, or some thinly sliced roasted red peppers with some basil that you can chiffonade.

My little sushi rolling diagram

 So, when you're ready to roll, you could take a piece of quality saran wrap, although I prefer to use the waxy film from the prosciutto that separates the layers, this is heavy duty, and rolls the sushi nice and tight.  This is when a bamboo roller would come in very handy.  So, lay about three slices of prosciutto on the 'prosciutto wrap', then spoon and flatten out some risotto on top, add your filling straight across, and roll it up, presses tightly to ensure the roll won't fall apart.  I like to keep the 'prosciutto wrap' around the roll, and I refrigerate it for at least a couple hours.  I usually prepare this the day before serving.  When the sushi is just out of the fridge, it's still really hard so it's easy to cut cleanly with a sharp knife.  Let it sit out for at least 20 minutes before serving, just so it isn't too cold. The flavors will be better.  If you want to make a dip for it, a simple one would be balsamic vinegar, honey and some olive oil.  Get creative if you want, but I prefer the taste of the roll to not be lost to the taste of the vinegar. 

Italian Sushi with Balsamic Vinaigrette

 I did change things up at the last book club dinner for Bel Canto by drizzling Hollandaise sauce over the sushi-fancy time.

The Bel Canto Roll

So there you have it, you too can make Italian sushi.  Give it a try for your next party-you can't really beat something that can be made ahead, and gets eaten almost as fast as bacon at a party.