'Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy': How to make Piedmont’s tiramisu-like risotto that is "thousand things in one can"

Stanley Tucci is on a journey to find popular regional dishes from Italy. The actor is part of a six-part series called Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy. The show will look into some of the most unique and special foods served around the country in different regions.

A distinctive dish from the show's second episode has attracted viewers' attention for its quirky blend of coffee, beer, and rice. A tiramisu-like risotto found in a restaurant at Piedmont is a “thousand things in one can."

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Stanley Tucci found the dish at Christian and Manuel's Restaurant

The restaurant is hidden behind a 1960s tourist hotel called Hotel Cinzia. Run by two chefs, Christian and Manuel Costardi, the restaurant serves Italian delicacies with a modern twist. The food items at the eatery surprised Stanley Tucci, but the one dish that impressed him over bounds was their signature risotto.

The risotto is made with Grana Padano cream, beer reduction, and coffee. The food item's flavor profile should give hints of a cappuccino or tiramisu integrated within a risotto. Inspired by Andy Warhol's Campbell soup cans, the delicacy is served in individual metal cans.

The Costardi brothers have earned themselves a Michelin star thanks to their unique take on traditional food and a menu of over 20 risotto.

The Julie and Julia actor showed his surprise at the risotto by saying:

"This is completely changing everything I thought about risotto. That's a revelation. That's a thousand things in one can. Wow!"

CNN Travel shared the recipe for the dish with their readers. Here are the instructions for making the risotto.

Ingredients (for four servings):

• 1-liter lager beer
• 115 grams of Grana Padano (preferably 27 months old)
• One-fourth liter of whipping cream
• 300 grams Carnaroli rice
• Sea salt (medium-coarse, preferably Cervia sea salt)
• Freshly ground black pepper (preferably Sarawak)
• 3 liters of vegetable broth (incorporated with celery, carrots, and slightly charred onion)
• 25 grams cold unsalted butter
• Ground coffee (preferably Arabica)

Instructions:

1)Put the beer in a large saucepan over high heat. Once the beer starts boiling, decrease the flame to low and reduce the liquid until the consistency is similar to a soft caramel. This should take some 45 minutes.

Once all the alcohol has evaporated, and the spicy flavor of the sauce has enhanced, remove it from the heat. Once it has cooled, refrigerate overnight in an airtight container.

2) Grate 100 grams of Grana Padano and keep it aside. Heat the cream in a saucepan over medium heat to 158 degrees Fahrenheit and add the grated Grana Padano. Mix until a smooth consistency is achieved. Additionally, passing the sauce through a sieve will also remove the clumps.

3) In a risotto pot, toast the rice dry over medium heat. Add a pinch of salt and some crushed pepper. Once toasted, turn the temperature to high and start adding broth, little by little. Stir continuously after adding the broth to ensure the rice absorbs the liquid completely.

Cook until the rice is al dente, then remove it from the heat. Add cold butter and 15 grams of Grana Padano. Mix carefully without mashing the rice.

4) Serve the risotto on a plate with the Grana Padano cream, sprinkled with coffee grounds and the beer reduction.

Readers can use clean empty soup cans to stay on theme with the restaurant.

The Stanley Tucci show is currently airing its second season. A new episode is released every Sunday at 9 pm pst, CNN. After that, it can be seen on DirecTV Stream and Sling. The show is also available on Hulu + Live.