A splendid and very simple recipe, baked rice with cherry tomatoes, from Ottolenghi’s book Simple. A main course to prepare on many occasions and also with other types of vegetables. So in the summer, it’s great with cherry tomatoes, even if lightened with garlic and shallots.
Baked rice with cherry tomatoes is simple because all you need is good fragrant basmati, fresh herbs like cilantro and thyme, and a bit of the oven.
I invite you to see other recipes inspired by Chef Ottolenghi on the blog:
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Summer
Ingredients for Baked Rice with Cherry Tomatoes
The recipe is divided into two steps, first cooking the vegetables and then the rice. Ottolenghi in the recipe uses plenty of garlic, herbs, onion, oil, I always lighten according to my personal taste, so see if you are a fan of lots of garlic double the doses. Also, the recipe calls for a cinnamon stick, which I omitted.
- 18 oz cherry tomatoes
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 shallots
- 1 sprig cilantro
- 1 sprig thyme
- 1 cup Basmati rice
- 1 3/4 cups water
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- to taste sea salt
- to taste pepper
Tools
- 1 Baking Dish
Steps for Baked Rice with Cherry Tomatoes
Preheat the fan oven to 320°F. Chop the shallots into not too small pieces, wash and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Pour cherry tomatoes and shallots into a baking dish, along with chopped herbs. Pour three tablespoons of oil, the peeled garlic clove, half a teaspoon of salt, and a nice sprinkle of pepper.
Bake for 50 minutes, checking the cooking. Remove the baking dish from the oven, add the rinsed rice leveling it. Set aside and meanwhile increase the temperature to 430°F fan oven.
Meanwhile, boil the water, sprinkle half a teaspoon of salt and pepper over the rice, and then slowly add the boiling water. Seal the baking dish well with aluminum foil and put it back in the oven for 25 minutes.
Add a few more cilantro leaves if you wish and bring to the table, stirring gently. The rice is perfectly cooked.
Tips from Thyme and Lentils
This rice is also great the next day if you keep it closed in a container. It keeps for a couple of days.
