This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Baked Tomato and Mozzarella Risotto
Course: Mouthwatering Meals, Recipes, Veggie / VeganCuisine: VegetarianDifficulty: EasyServings
3
servingsPrep time
30
minutesCooking time
30
minutesCalories
871
kcalI love Risotto but this recipe is brilliant as it is cooked in the oven and so avoids the standing over a stove stirring in one ladle of stock at a time until it is fully absorbed. More importantly it is really delicious.
Ingredients
450g cherry tomatoes
2 Onions
2 garlic cloves
20g sun dried tomatoes
2 tbsp pumpkin seed
25g butter
½ tbsp bouillon powder
2 tbsp red pesto
250g risotto rice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
½ tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 packs mozzarella
1 little gem lettuce
25g Italian-style cheese
olive oil
Basil – few leaves
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 200℃/Gas 6. Halve any large cherry tomatoes. Place in a baking dish. Drizzle with oil to coat. Season. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until tender, while you continue, tossing them halfway through. Once done, set aside.
- Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic. Thinly slice the sun-dried tomatoes. Heat a large saucepan. Gently toast the pumpkin seed for 2-3 mins, until lightly coloured. Transfer to a plate. Let the saucepan cool for 1 min.
- Heat the butter and i tbsp of oil in the same pan. Gently fry the onions and sun-dried tomatoes for 10 mins, stirring regularly. Add a splash of water if they look like catching.
- Meanwhile, boil a kettle. In a jug, stir the bouillon with 700ml of boiled water, to make a stock.
- After 10 mins, add the garlic, pesto and rice to the onion pan; stir for 1 min. Pour in 600ml of the stock. Season. Bring to a simmer, then remove from the heat and mix it all into the baking dish with the cherry tomatoes. Bake for a further 15 mins. Add a splash more stock towards the end if needed.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the mustard and vinegar. Whisk in 1½ tbsp of olive oil to make a dressing. Season. Drain and slice the mozzarella. Thinly shred the lettuce.
- After 15 mins, mix three-quarters of the Italian cheese into the rice. Add more stock (or boiled water) if needed. Lay the mozzarella over the top. Bake for approx. 10-15 mins more, until the mozzarella is golden and the rice just tender.
- When the risotto is ready, toss the lettuce and pumpkin seeds with the dressing. Serve the risotto, scattered with the remaining Italian cheese and a few basil leaves, with salad on the side.