Tomato Risotto

Creamy risotto with a tangy but smooth tomato sauce.

The tomato sauce is loosely based on the simple but very tasty tomato sauce that Pellegrino Artusi describes in the classic cookbook Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well. The secret lies in putting it through a sieve or a food mill to remove the seeds which can be slightly bitter.

You can make this risotto both with a chicken broth or only water if you want a vegetarian alternative.

Another secret to a good risotto is to let it rest for a couple of minutes after it have been cooked to let the flavours blend the consistence set.

You will need.

• One can of whole peeled tomatoes. Roughly chopped.
• Fresh basil.
• Celery leaves.
• One clove of garlic.
• Chili flakes.
• Olive oil
• A little honey.
• About 3 dl risotto rice.
• One onion. Chopped.
• A glass of white wine.
• About 1 – 1,5 l chicken stock or water.
• Butter.
• Salt
• Peppar.
• Grated parmesan cheese. About 2 dl.

Do like this.

1. Start by doing the tomato sauce. Take a sauce pan and heat olive oil in in.
2. Fry the garlic slowly without it taking on colour for a couple of minutes until it softens. Pressing it with a fork to release the flavour. Pick the garlic up.
3. Add the tomatoes, some basic, celery leaves, chili flakes and a little honey.
4. Let the sauce simmer for about half an hour or until the olive oil starts to float on top.
5. Press the sauce through a sieve or grind in a food mill to catch the slightly bitter seeds. Now the sauce is done.
6. Bring the chicken stock or water to a simmer.
7. Heat olive oil and some butter in a pan and add the onion.
8. Let the onion fry until they soften and get translucent.
9. Add the rice, stir, and let it fry for a couple of minutes until you starting to get a lovely nutty smell.
10. Add the wine and let it boil away, stirring.
11. Gradually start adding the stock. Stir all the time and let most of it reduce until you add more.
12. After you have added liquid 2 – 3 times, add the tomato sauce.
13. Continue to add liquid, sire and reduce until the risotto is almost done.
14. Off the heat, add parmesan and a knob of butter. Season with salt and pepper. Stir and leave it to rest with a lid on for a couple of minutes.
15. Serve the risotto with more parmesan on the top.