Tomato risotto

This traditional Italian tomato risotto is simple but requires time and attention to detail to master. Flavour with slowly cooked cherry tomatoes, basil and garlic for this unique taste of Naples.

Credit: Jiwon Kim

• serves

  4

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  30 minutes

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
• 200 g carnaroli rice
• 30 ml white wine
• 100 g butter, diced
• 100 g Parmigiano Reggiano, finely grated
• salt and black pepper
• 10 basil leaves
• pinch smoked paprika

For the tomato sauce 

• 100 ml olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 kg cherry tomatoes, halved
• 5 basil leaves
• pinch sugar, if required

Instructions

1. To make the tomato sauce, in a medium saucepan, add 100 ml olive oil and sauté the garlic until lightly golden brown. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook for 30 minutes until softened and collapsed. Stir through the basil leaves. Taste, if too acidic, add a pinch of sugar to balance. Push through a fine sieve to remove skins, then use a stick blender to blend until fine and set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil, then add the rice with a pinch of salt and toast for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until you can’t smell the alcohol. Stir in 3 tbsp of the tomato sauce and add enough water to cover the rice and cook over low heat, adding water gradually as needed.

3. After 9-10 minutes, the rice should be cooked with a little bit of liquid remaining. Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the parmesan and butter until slightly thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper and more tomato sauce, if needed.

4. To serve, ladle risotto onto flat plates, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with basil leaves and smoked paprika.

Note

If you don’t have time, substitute the homemade tomato sauce with a good quality passata.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.