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ground). It’s worth trying these dumplings at least once: there are days when only stodge will do. And, to be fair, made properly, these aren’t heavy so much as dense: I am relying on your charity to appreciate the distinction here.
    Makes about 20.
    1 egg
    30g schmalz, margarine or butter, melted
    3 tablespoons water or soup stock
    100g medium matzo meal
    pinch of salt and a grind of pepper
    Whisk the egg in a large-ish bowl, then whisk in the melted schmalz (or whatever). Carry on whisking as you add the water or soup stock, the matzo meal and salt and pepper, and mix together into a rough paste; if it’s too stiff to feel that it might be malleable later, add a little more water. Put in the fridge to chill for an hour (or leave overnight if you wish) then dig out small lumps of paste and roll them into walnut-sized balls between the palms of your hands. Cook the kneidlach in boiling, salted water and simmer for about 40 minutes (you can just cook them directly in the soup, but I’ll do anything to preserve its unstarchy clearness). They are cooked when they rise to the surface. Add to the soup, and ladle out generously into waiting bowls. The etiquette here is, when people have the spoon halfway towards their mouth, before they’ve even had one spoonful, and therefore have yet to exclaim about how wonderful it is, to ask, querulously, ‘It’s all right? Is there anything wrong?’ while sighing longsufferingly.
    LEMON RISOTTO
    This is comfort food on so many levels. For one, risotto has to be one of the most comforting things to eat ever. What’s more, although everyone goes on about the finicketiness and crucial fine-tuning involved, I find risotto immensely comforting to make: in times of strain, mindless repetitive activity – in this case, 20 minutes of stirring – can really help. What you don’t want to do is make risotto for large numbers of people, which is why I’ve indicated that this serves two (as supper in its entirety); if you want to call it into service as a starter, then reckon on its feeding four.
    There is a more personal reason why this is comforting for me. The recipe comes from Anna del Conte (from her Secrets of an Italian Kitchen to be exact) and she, beyond any doubt the best Italian foodwriter around, is the person I turn to for bolstering and solace. Just reading her books provides instant, essential nourishment.
    Serves 2.
    2 shallots
    1 stick of celery
    60g unsalted butter
    1 tablespoon olive oil
    300g risotto rice, preferably Vialone Nano
    1 litre vegetable stock (I use Marigold stock powder)
    zest and juice of ½ unwaxed lemon
    needles from 2 small sprigs of fresh rosemary, finely chopped
    1 egg yolk
    60ml (4 tablespoons) grated parmesan, plus more to sprinkle
    60ml (4 tablespoons) double cream
    Maldon salt to taste
    good grating pepper, preferably white
    Put the shallots and celery into a Magimix and blitz until they are a finely chopped mush. Heat half the butter, the oil and the shallot and celery mixture in a wide saucepan, and cook to soften the mixture for about 5 minutes, making sure it doesn’t catch. Mix in the rice, stirring to give it a good coating of oil and butter. Meanwhile, heat the stock in another saucepan and keep it at simmering point.
    Pour a ladleful of the stock into the rice and keep stirring until the stock is absorbed. Then add another ladleful and stir again. Continue doing this until the rice is al dente. You may not need all of the stock, equally, you may need to add hot water from the kettle.
    Mix the lemon zest and the rosemary into the risotto, and in a small bowl beat the egg yolk, lemon juice, parmesan, cream and pepper.
    When the risotto is ready – when the rice is no longer chalky, but still has some bite – take it off the heat and add the bowl of eggy, lemony mixture, and the remaining butter and salt to taste. Serve with more grated parmesan if you wish, check the seasoning and dive in.
    STOVETOP RICE PUDDING FOR EMERGENCIES
    For those