Paniscia alla novarese

Name: Paniscia alla novarese
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 90 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: Carnaroli rice 1.7 cups; Verza (savoy cabbage) 2 cups; Dried Borlotti beans (already soaked) 1 cup; Salami of the jar 6.7 oz; Shallot 4.2 oz; Pork rind 2.6 oz; Lard 2.5 oz; Red wine ½ cup; Grana Padano PDO cheese to grate 2.5 oz; Butter 3 ½ tbsp; Extra virgin olive oil to taste; Fine salt to taste; Black pepper to taste

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Gluten Free

Difficulty: Easy
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Serving: 4

PRESENTATION

Novara-style paniscia is like a big hug in a bowl. Seriously, it hails from the beautiful region of Piedmont, Italy. It's amazing how simple ingredients can create something really, really filling and full of tender flavors. People in Novara know it is not just any risotto—it's a taste of home. What makes it different? The local gems like salame della duja and those bits folks saved from the kitchen—cabbage leaves and pork rind. The lardo gives the dish a rich and almost moist bite—making every spoonful feel like grandma's kitchen magic. Unlike panissa from Liguria, which uses chickpea flour and has a totally different vibe, paniscia from Novara gets its flavor from a mix of rice, beans and those rustic pork flavors that scream old-school farm cooking. And you know what? People here always remind you not to mix up the two—regional pride is huge in Italy.

For anyone who's grown up around nonna's cooking, the paniscia recipe means comfort and tradition. It shows how traditional Italian risotto can go way beyond the creamy stuff and dive into hearty, deep flavors using whatever's on hand. The beans give it a creamy texture that blends super, super well with the rice. And the pork? Especially the salty lardo? Adds something you just don't get from other Italian comfort foods. Nothing fancy—just good, honest Piedmontese cuisine that fills you up and sticks with you. Pair a bowl of this with local red wine—classic way to end a chilly day in Novara.

Families keep the tradition alive, passing down those little tricks, like how long to cook the rice so it stays tender, or which beans taste best. It’s a dish that doesn’t try to be fancy—it just feels right, tastes hearty, and always brings people back for more. Dishes like this make regional Italian dishes feel so special, reminding everyone that the best food often comes from simple beginnings. And really, it’s all about bringing people together. Which is great.

How to prepare Paniscia alla novarese

To make Paniscia alla Novarese, first cut the pork rind into strips 1. Remove the hard part of the cabbage core 2 and set it aside, then cut the leaves into strips 3.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a high-sided pot, add the pork rind 4 and brown for a few minutes, then add the beans that have been soaked overnight 5 and the cabbage core that was set aside 6.

Cover with water 7 and bring to a boil 8. The broth will need to cook for about 40 minutes and will be used for the risotto preparation. Meanwhile, finely chop the shallot 9.

Clean the sausage from the lard 10, remove the casing and cut into small pieces 11. Lastly, dice the lard 12.

Take a saucepan and melt a pat of butter inside, add the lard 13 and shallot 14. Season with salt and sauté for a couple of minutes, then add the sausage 15.

At this point, add the rice 16 and toast it for 3-4 minutes, then deglaze with red wine 17 and let it evaporate completely. Cook the rice by adding a ladle of broth at a time, being careful to gradually also pick up the beans with the pork rind but not the cabbage core 18.

Halfway through cooking, add the cabbage leaves 19, season with salt 20, and continue cooking. When the rice is cooked 21, turn off the heat and cover with a lid for 2 minutes.

Finally, stir in the butter 22 and grated Grana cheese 23, add pepper to taste, and mix vigorously. Your Paniscia alla Novarese is ready to be served 34!

Storage

It is recommended to consume Paniscia alla Novarese immediately after preparation. Alternatively, you can store it in the refrigerator for up to one day.

Tip

If you can't find salam d’la duja, do not replace it with another type of salami but rather use fresh pork sausage.

In the broth with beans and pork rind, you can also add the outer cabbage leaves after cleaning it.

Historically, the recipe also included the addition of liver mortadella, definitely worth trying!

For the translation of some texts, artificial intelligence tools may have been used.

Paniscia alla novarese

PRESENTATION

How to prepare Paniscia alla novarese

Storage

Tip

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