Flours and grains · Italian cuisine
Vialone Nano rice
Italian japonica rice with a shorter, rounded pearly grain; from defined municipalities of the province of Verona it is also sold as Riso Nano Vialone Veronese PGI.
At a glance
- Origin
- Variety bred in Vercelli from Nano × Vialone; the PGI Riso Nano Vialone Veronese covers only rice from 24 municipalities of the province of Verona.
- Production
- After harvest dried with hot air to below 14 % moisture, husked, whitened and optically sorted.
- Ratio
- Variety grain 5.4–5.8 × 3.2–3.5 mm, length-to-width ratio 1.6–1.8.
- Use
- Risotto, minestrone, timballi, rice salads.
- Substitutes
- Carnaroli, Arborio.
The Vialone Nano variety was bred at the rice research station in Vercelli by crossing Nano and Vialone. It has been grown since 1937 and reached the province of Verona in 1945. Rice of this variety grown in 24 municipalities of the province is sold under the protected geographical indication Riso Nano Vialone Veronese, with a consortium overseeing varietal purity and compliance with the specification.
The grain belongs to the japonica subspecies and is fine, awnless and pearly. Italy's Legislative Decree 131/2017 gives the variety a length of 5.4–5.8 mm, a width of 3.2–3.5 mm, a ratio of 1.6–1.8 and a very extensive pearl – dimensions that the law places in the “medio” group. The PGI specification allows only 3 % imperfect grains and moisture below 14 %.
In the kitchen it keeps a compact shape and absorbs flavour well; it suits risotto, minestrone, timballi and rice salads.