Summer risotto with feta & pesto

This was another recipe I tried out on the family on a night we weren’t eating meat. It seemed better in my head then how it translated but I still think I will give this another go – just change the feta that I used (I think I had a block of danish and the taste was no good at the end – I would go for Persian or even a crumble of goats cheese and less of it).

With the end of summer there are usually a glut of tomatoes about or on sale as they are in season and so good – with all those around I thought a slow roasted tomato, garlic and onion would be a great base for summer risotto. The family ate it and enjoyed it, so it will likely get another run sometime soon.

Summer Risotto with crumbled feta

Couple of punnets or as many mixed cherry tomatoes you can get
1 red onion quartered
Handful olives
4-5 garlic cloves
Olive oil
Salt & pepper
2 cups Arborio rice
4 cups of Vegetable stock
2 handfuls baby spinach
Crumbled feta
Spoon of fresh pesto for garnish

1. Place all the tomatoes, onion, olives and garlic cloves onto a baking tray and roast for 20 mins or so until wilted and sweet and delicious and soft

2. Make the baked risotto as per my recipe here. I fry off some red onions into a heavy based pan, then add in 2 cups of risotto and 4 cups of stock, whack a lid on and place into a 180-200 degree oven for 40 mins. This can be scaled up or down depending on how many people you need to cook for just double the stock to the rice and you will be sweet

3. Once the tomatoes are cooked and the rice is done take the lid off and tip all the tomatoes into the rice and stir through. Then add in the handfuls of spinach, whack the lid on for a few minutes and then stir through as it will be wilted.

4. Serve into bowls with crumbled feta on top (I added too much in and wouldn’t advise this as the flavour was too much) and a spoonful of good store bought (or even better home-made pesto)

You could serve this as a side if you had a piece of meat or fish, but we ate it as is and the girls and Rob kindly ate it all for me.

Summer risotto with crumbled feta & pesto

This risotto uses the best of late summer produce
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes

Equipment

  • Frypan
  • Oven proof dish with lid

Ingredients
  

  • 2-3 punnets mixed tomatoes
  • 1 red onion quartered
  • 1 handful olives kalamata
  • 4-5 garlic cloves peeled whole
  • olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • 2 cups Arborio rice
  • 4 cups vegetarian stock
  • 2 handfuls baby spinach
  • crumbled feta
  • fresh pesto garnish

Instructions
 

  • Place all the tomatoes, onion, olives and garlic cloves onto a baking tray and roast for 20 mins or so until wilted and sweet and delicious and soft
  • Make the baked risotto as per my recipe here. I fry off some red onions into a heavy based pan, then add in 2 cups of risotto and 4 cups of stock, whack a lid on and place into a 180-200 degree oven for 40 mins. This can be scaled up or down depending on how many people you need to cook for just double the stock to the rice and you will be sweet
  • Once the tomatoes are cooked and the rice is done take the lid off and tip all the tomatoes into the rice and stir through. Then add in the handfuls of spinach, whack the lid on for a few minutes and then stir through as it will be wilted.
  • Serve into bowls with crumbled feta on top (I added too much in and wouldn't advise this as the flavour was too much) and a spoonful of good store bought (or even better home-made pesto)

Have you got lots of tomatoes at the moment?
Do your family resist risotto too? Why is it so?

Comments

  1. looks delicious thanks beth! mxx

  2. I love that seasonal produce inspires you to make up your own recipes – how creative! I will give this a go soon and will try either goats cheese mixed through or some thick slices of fried halloumi, served on top.

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