Tomato Risotto
Italian technique with Romanian ingredients: onion, chicken (the one used for the stock) and tomato paste, parsley, and aged cheese. The result is a perfect side dish for my chicken schnitzels.
Ingredients
300g short-grain rice for risotto (arborio)
1 liter chicken stock
350ml tomato paste
1 onion
1/2 bunch parsley
30g aged cheese
2 tablespoons oil
salt, pepper
Servings: 4
How to prepare tomato risotto
- Mix the stock with the tomato paste. Keep the liquid warm on low heat to have it ready.
- Heat the oil in a wide pan. Add the chopped onion and parsley. Sauté until the onion softens well.
- Add the rice and let it toast for 5 minutes over higher heat, stirring occasionally.
- Pour two ladles of hot stock and set the heat to medium-low, just enough for the rice to simmer gently.
- Continue adding stock, only one ladle at a time. Add the next ladle only when the previous one has been absorbed by the rice. Stir constantly - this is essential for it to become creamy! The process will take about 25-30 minutes, until you finish all the stock. At the end, the rice will be cooked and creamy. Check the risotto for salt and pepper, you will surely need to add more.
- Add the grated cheese and stir until it melts.
* if using simple tomato paste, prepared only from tomatoes without seasonings, you can add a few chopped basil leaves at the end - Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let it rest for 5 minutes. Serve immediately. Risotto is only good when freshly prepared (it's not good cold or reheated, it loses its creaminess).
The tomato paste and hot stock
Sautéing the onion and parsley
Toasting the rice
First two ladles of liquid
Last ladle of liquid
Adding the cheese
