Star's line of Risotto can speed up preparing this iconic Italian dish. The packets contain 100 percent Italian riso and all the other ingredients such as saffron, onions, porcini mushrooms, and Parimigiana cheese to make risotto. Just the chopping and grating alone saves precious time for the home cook. Star Risotto Milanese is seasoned with saffron and contains onions and seasonings; Star Risotto Funghi Porcini contains porcini mushrooms and parsley; and Star Risotto Parmigiana cheese and black pepper.

However, we wanted to clarify a few things. First of all, the directions are in Italian on some packages, creating confusion for customers who don't read that language.  It's simple -- to  500 milleters (about 2 cups) of water in a saucepan add the contents of the package, stir,and  bring to a boil. Lower to simmer and cook, stirring a few times. But after testing several versions of the risotto, we decided the risotto needed about 20 minutes of simmering rather than the 15 minutes stated on the packaged directions to be creamy and fully cooked. Depending on preferences, the risotto can be cooked for a few minutes longer.

These directions should smooth your path to quick, effortless Star Risotto. Buon Appetito!!