Before definitively saying goodbye to the summer season’s produce, I treated myself to one last dish featuring cherry tomatoes, a delightful gift from a dear friend who brought them from Pachino! And could I not do them justice? Of course, I could! And here is a sweet and very fragrant risotto, where the flavor is further enhanced by the baking of the cherry tomatoes in the oven, with that spicy touch given by the turmeric and finally elevated by lemon peel, another useful gift! The recipe is straightforward but carries all the flavors of summer we have just left behind and my beloved land. You know me by now, I’ve always loved contrasts and wanted to combine a few quality ingredients for a result that is anything but ordinary! This main course, wholesome and impressive, will be appreciated by the whole family and will become your ace in the hole! I’m sure you’ll fall in love with it just like I did!
All “vegetarian” recipes are free of meat and/or fish (N.B. other animal protein-based foods, like eggs and cheeses, may be used).
If you love rice, you absolutely cannot miss these other exquisite and genuine alternatives:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Inexpensive
- Rest time: 30 Minutes
- Preparation time: 40 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Hob
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring, Summer, and Fall
Ingredients
⚠ IN THIS RECIPE, THERE ARE ONE OR MORE AFFILIATE LINKS. The products I recommend are the same ones I use in my recipes; purchasing them through my blog helps support me and my work at no extra cost to you!
- 11 oz Carnaroli rice
- 12.3 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1 shallot
- 1 lemon (untreated peels)
- 1/2 glass white wine
- 1.8 oz Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
- 4 cups ml vegetable broth
- to taste dried oregano
- 1 1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric
- 1 oz butter
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
- 1 Baking tray
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Blender
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Wooden spoon
Preparation
Wash the cherry tomatoes, dry them, and place them whole, some even with the branch, on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of oil, salt, pepper and sprinkle with a bit of oregano. Place them in the oven at 400°F for 30′.
Once cooked, set aside the cherry tomatoes with the branch for final decoration and place the remaining part in a blender along with the turmeric.
Blend for a few seconds until you obtain a sort of tomato sauce and set aside.
Chop the shallot and gently let it soften in a large saucepan with two tablespoons of oil. Then, add the rice and toast it for a few minutes.
Deglaze with white wine and raise the heat to evaporate all the alcohol.
At this point, lower the heat and add a ladle of hot vegetable broth and a couple of tablespoons of oven-baked tomato sauce.
Cook the risotto, stirring often and adding ladles of broth alternated with the tomato sauce, letting them absorb gradually before adding the next ones. Then turn off the heat, add the butter and stir.
Also add the grated Parmigiano, stir again and let the risotto rest for a couple of minutes.
Plate the dish, garnishing with the whole cherry tomatoes set aside and grated lemon peel.
Serve immediately and season to taste with more oregano.
And voilà…the baked cherry tomato risotto with turmeric and lemon peel is ready to be enjoyed!
Bon Appétit from La Cucina di FeFe’!
Advice, notes, variations, and suggestions
🟣You can replace oregano with other herbs of your choice, I suggest basil or thyme (both fresh, depending on the season, or dried).
What can I substitute for turmeric?
Turmeric appears as a golden yellow powder, with a pungent aroma and a slightly bitter taste. Its consistency is fine, similar to that of flour. Given its color and flavor, if you prefer, you can replace it with saffron whose compound, called picrocrocin gives it its characteristic bitter taste, contributing to a similar taste and color effect! Proceed as follows: Leave about 0.25g of saffron to infuse for 40’/60′ in warm, not boiling water (use a ladle of vegetable broth) to dissolve the threads. After the infusion time, incorporate the saffron only at the end of cooking to preserve all its flavor.
