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Arborio rice, a pearly-looking, round, fat, Italian white rice, forms the foundation of risotto, the dish. Riso means rice in Italian. Like other rices, Arborio is a member of the grass family. What distinguishes it is a higher than normal amount of soluble starch that is released during cooking. The starch is what makes a risotto creamy. Arborio is typically wider and longer than carnaroli or vialone nano. It's not as starchy and it absorbs liquid a little less. The grains are of a generous dimension and show a good resistance to cooking. During the cooking process, the heat penetrates within the peripheral leaving the core al dente. Thanks to this property it is suitable for all kinds of risotto which have to be thickened.