Baked Cherry Tomato & Pesto Risotto with Pine Nuts & Parmesa

• servings: 4 servings
• active time: 40 minutes
• total time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1 olive oil

1 onion

6 clove garlic

1 lemon

40 g butter

1 1/2 cup arborio rice

4 cup water

2 sachet vegetable stock powder

1 punnet Snacking Tomatoes

1 bag thyme

1 tbs balsamic vinegar

1 packet pine nuts

1 bag parsley

1 bag mixed leaves

1 packet basil pesto

60g grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C fan-forced. Finely chop onion and garlic. Zest lemon to get a good pinch, then slice into wedges. In a large frying pan, heat the butter and a drizzle of olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook onion, stirring, until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and lemon zest and cook until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Add arborio rice. Stir to combine, then cook until rice is coated and slightly translucent, 1-2 minutes.

Add the water and vegetable stock powder to the frying pan. Bring to the boil, then remove from heat. Transfer risotto to a baking dish. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is ‘al dente’, 24-28 minutes. TIP: 'Al dente' rice is cooked through but still slightly firm in the centre.

While risotto is baking, halve cherry tomatoes. Pick thyme leaves.

Place cherry tomatoes and thyme on a lined oven tray. Add the balsamic vinegar, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, then roast until blistered, 15-20 minutes.

Remove risotto from oven. Stir through mixed leaves, grated Parmesan cheese, basil pesto and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season to taste. Gently fold in the roasted cherry tomatoes. TIP: If the risotto is dry, add a splash of water and stir through.

Divide baked cherry tomato and pesto risotto between bowls. Top with pine nuts and tear over parsley leaves. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 401
• Total Fat: 36.7 g
• Saturated Fat: 10.8 g
• Sodium: 1249 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 89.8 g
• Total Sugars: 10.4 g
• Protein: 18.6 g