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1
Heat the water in a pot almost to boil; cover and keep it very hot on the stove, near the risotto pan.
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2
Add olive oil, onion, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the saucepan and set over medium heat.
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3
Stir well as the onion starts to heat and soften; stir frequently and cook until it is wilted and just starting to color, 8 minutes or so.
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4
Pour in the rice all at once, increase the heat, and stir the rice and onions continuously, toasting the grains (but not browning them), until they make a clicking sound as you turn them in the pan, 2 minutes or more.
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5
Pour in the wine, and keep stirring for another couple of minutes, all around the pan, until the moisture has evaporated and the rice is dry.
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6
Immediately ladle in 2 cups of the almost simmering water, enough to cover the rice, and decrease the heat.
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7
Cook, stirring steadily, until the water is almost totally absorbed, 4-6 minutes.
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8
Quickly ladle in more water to cover the rice, add another 1/2 teaspoon salt, and keep stirring, as the rice swells and releases its starches and a thick creamy suspension starts to form.
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9
Again, when the water is almost completely absorbed--and you can see the bottom of the saucepan as you stir--ladle in another cup or so of water.
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10
Remember how much water you add; after incorporating 6 cups (or a bit more) over a period of 15-19 minutes, taste the rice for texture and seasoning--add more salt and/or incorporate more hot water if needed.
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11
When the risotto is perfectly cooked--at once al dente and creamy--turn off the heat.
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12
Without delay, drop the butter pieces into the saucepan and stir vigorously to mount--or amalgamate--the risotto with butter.
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13
Stir in the 1/2 cup cheese.
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14
For each serving, spoon a mound of risotto into a warm pasta bowl, and immediately shave paper-thin flakes of truffle over the top.
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15
Serve right away, as the heat releases the aroma of truffle into the air, and dish up the next portion.
