CREAMY OVEN BAKED RISOTTO
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 punnet cherry tomatoes (or 4 Roma tomatoes, cut into quarters)
2 zucchini, chopped into rounds
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp spoon of Italian seasoning
1 tbsp butter
1 brown onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 rashers bacon, diced
1.5 cups arborio rice
2.25 cups chicken stock
2 cups grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 tsp black pepper
Method:
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees. On a lined baking tray, lay out the tomatoes and the zucchini rounds (keep 1/2 cup of the zucchini rounds and slice them into half moons). Drizzle the tomatoes and zucchini with 2 tbsp of olive oil and scatter over the Italian seasoning. Place in the oven and roast for 25 mins until coloured and cooked through. Remove and set aside.
Meanwhile, heat an oven-proof saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining olive oil and butter and heat. Then add the onion, garlic and bacon and cook, stirring for 3-4 mins. Add the rice to the pan and coat with the onion mix for 2-3 mins. Then add the chicken stock, half moons of zucchini and 1 cup of grated parmesan. Stir it all together, place the lid on and bake in the oven for 30 mins.
Once the rice has cooked through, remove the risotto and add the remaining parmesan, the parsley and the black pepper, gently stir through. Top the risotto with the roasted tomato and zucchini.