Nero risotto rice is a highly nutritious whole-grain rice with a nutty, aromatic flavour and a firm, slightly chewy texture. Once cooked, the colour shifts from glossy ebony black to rich deep violet. Nero risotto rice is ideal for rice salads, soups and seafood risotto. Fontana Formiello Nero Risotto Rice is grown in Italy's Piedmont region. Packed under-vacuum in plastic bag and paperboard pack. Good to know: Nero originates from China, where black rice or "the forbidden rice" was served exclusively to the Emperor and his court. In the 1990s, an Asian black rice variety was crossed with the Italian Padano rice - a round, medium-grained type of rice - and coined Nero.