Tomato Risotto with Pancetta
This is not the tomato risotto with a mild pink blush and a gentle flavor. This one starts with tomato paste cooked until it darkens in the pan, adds tomatoes that have been allowed to burst in the pancetta fat, and builds from there into something deeply colored, intensely flavored, and finished with mascarpone and Pecorino Romano. It is a risotto that want to be noticed.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce pancetta diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 cup Arborio rice
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 2.5 cups broth vegetable or chicken
- 1.5 ounce Mascarpone cheese
- 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese grated
- basil
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pancetta in a Dutch oven on low-medium heat and allow all the fat to render. Remove the pancetta from the pan and drain on a paper towel.
- Increase the heat and add the tomatoes to the rendered fat and sprinkle with a little bit of salt & pepper. When the tomatoes start to burst, take them out of the pan and set aside.
- Transfer the butter to the Dutch oven and add the finely chopped shallot. Cook for a few minutes until the onion is soft, not crispy.
- Add the tomato paste and cook for about 1 minute; the color will darken slightly.
- Add the rice and stir, so all rice grains are coated with the tomato paste and shallot and are slightly toasted. Add the tomatoes back into the pan (keep a few in reserve for garnish) as well as the white wine and cook until the wine is absorbed by the rice.
- Add the warm broth, in small increments, and stir until fully absorbed. Continue adding broth only after the previous amount is absorbed and add the red pepper flakes as well. Keep the rice at a medium simmer for the entire cooking process and stir regularly. (NOTE 1)
- Remove from heat once all the stock is absorbed, add the Mascarpone, Pecorino Romano cheese and basil and stir until all the cheese is melted.
- Season with salt & pepper and divide over 2 plates or bowls.
- Garnish the Tomato Risotto with the crispy pancetta, the burst tomatoes you kept in reserve and more fresh basil.
Notes
The high sodium content, is most likely coming from the broth and the cheese. If this is an issue for you, I would recommend to use low sodium broth.
- Make sure your broth is warm. The warm broth coaxes more starch out of each rice grain. Cold broth takes longer to warm up in the risotto pan and may shock the grain into holding onto its starches.
Nutrition
Calories: 552kcalCarbohydrates: 53gProtein: 16gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1717mgFiber: 3gSugar: 7g