Tomato risotto

This tomato risotto is a wonderful combination of that classic comfort factor with bright summer flavor. Enjoy as a side to various mains or eat just as it is, it's easy and delicious.

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Risottos are something we go in and out of making, in part as one of the kids seems to go through phases of not liking them. I'll admit I don't feel the loss too often though I do love saffron risotto with beef osso bucco as well as a lemon asparagus risotto in spring.

I always have more success convincing them with one my pumpkin risotto, I think because of the extra depth and richness that the smooth pumpkin adds. This tomato version shares some of those same delicious qualities.

Where is risotto from?

Rice is not originally a European ingredient but has been grown around the Mediterranean for centuries. Most agree the Moors likely first brought rice to Europe, in particular to Spain and Sicily, likely as far back as the 8th century. Since then, it has been cultivated in various regions and different varieties have evolved. Though they are largely short-medium grain varieties to suit the climate.

In Italy, rice growing spread to the mainland and the Lombardy region in the North became the main producer for the country. In fact Italy is still the largest producer in Europe, with a large part coming from this area.

So it's maybe no surprise that risotto is generally said to have originated in Lombardy. It likely dates back to the 16th century in it's most basic form and has over time developed many variations with different additions.

While tomatoes arrived in Italy at a similar time from the Americas, it took a long time until they were adopted into local cooking. It wasn't until the early 18th century when they became more widely used. Which is funny to think given how central they are to Italian cooking now. And it's not really a surprise tomato risotto, risotto al pomodoro, evolved.

Ingredients in risotto al pomodorro

This dish is made with the fairly typical risotto ingredients with the addition of tomato:

• Onion and garlic - these provide the aromatic base.
• Olive oil and butter - using a mixture adds flavor and a little richness as you soften the onion.
• Rice - you can use a few different varieties for this that are suitable for risotto. Arborio and carnaroli are the most common and widely available.
• White wine (or vermouth) - you use this to deglaze the pan before adding addition liquid. It adds to the depth of flavor.
• Tomato passata - this is pureed, strained tomatoes which has a great consistent flavor and smooth texture. And also lets you make this any time of year. You could also use canned tomatoes and remove the skin, any tough core, and blend them smooth. Fresh tomatoes could also work, but they often don't have as much depth of flavor so I wouldn't generally recommend unless you know they are full of flavor.
• Stock - using all tomato would be too much so you also add some stock for the rice to absorb as it cooks. You can use either vegetable, to keep it vegetarian, or chicken if that's what you have or as you prefer.
• Parmesan - a little added at the end gives a lovely rich texture and adds to the flavor. Ideally use freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano (I know, I forgot it in the photo above!)

Cooking steps and tips

The process is much the same as any other risotto as well - soften the onion in the butter and oil, then once translucent, add the garlic and rice. You want the onion soft but not brown or burning - the amount of fat should feel on the high side but it helps with this. Also, watch your heat.

Gently stir the rice to coat it in the fat, then add the wine to deglaze. Don't have the heat too high at this point in case it sputters hot fat. Once the wine is all absorbed, start adding the liquid gradually, adding more as it is absorbed.

In this case, you first add the tomato passata so that the rice takes on as much tomato flavor as possible, followed by the stock. You want to warm your stock so you add it warm to avoid reducing the temperature each time you add. Stir regularly as you cook to avoid the rice sticking and to help get even cooking and a good texture.

Once the rice is just cooked, stop adding liquid and stir in the cheese. Then serve and enjoy.

In Italy risotto is usually a "primi", in other words a first plate usually after eg an appetizer salad and before the main meat or fish. But you can serve it as a side dish as it will go well with a broad range of dishes. It also works well as a meal just itself, possibly with some simple sides.

This tomato risotto is packed with delicious tomato flavor and plenty comfort factor, too. It's easy to make, versatile in how you serve it and one you'll come back to again and again.

Try these other tasty rice dishes:

• Nam khao, Lao crispy rice salad - a delicious mix of soft and crispy rice, herbs and spice flavors.
• Spanakorizo, Greek spinach rice - another veggie-packed rice dish with quite different flavors, but equally tasty and versatile.
• Japanese mushroom rice, kinoko gohan - super simple, autumnal and great as a flavorful side.
• Portuguese tomato rice, arroz de tomate - while it's also made with tomatoes, it's somehow quite different from this due to the aromatic bay and parsley seasoning. Great as a side to seafood and more.
• Plus get more Italian recipes in the archives.

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