The common version of riso al salto is just a way of using up leftover risotto by making rice patties.

Crispy Rice Patty (Riso al Salto)

1 small onion
1 pinch saffron
3 ounces butter
4 tablespoons Parmigiano
1 3/4 cups Italian rice
1 quart beef broth
Salt
Pepper

1. Chop the onion and put in a saucepan with half of the butter. Let brown slowly, then add the rice and toast it until all the butter has been absorbed. At this point make a risotto , adding hot broth as needed and stirring frequently. Add the saffron diluted in a ladleful of broth just before removing from fire. Stop cooking the risotto after 8 minutes Remove it from the pan and spread it out on a large plate so that it cools.
2. Melt some butter in an 8-inch frying pan, add 2 to 3 spoonfuls of cooled risotto and flatten into a party that covers the bottom of the pan with a spatula. Cook over medium heat. As the rice patty cooks, the starch remaining in the grains of rice is expelled and makes the rice stick together perfectly. Shake the pan so the patty does not stick to the bottom, flip over the rice patty or use a plate if you are not an expert. Cook the other side and serve hot sprinkled with Parmigiano. With this technique riso al salto does not need to cook more than 6 or 7 minutes and therefore stays light and crisp.

Makes 6 servings.

Recipe courtesy of The Italian Trade Commission.