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Roasted and Sun-dried Tomato Risotto

tomatoes

dessertspoon extra virgin olive oil

fat clove garlic

x 15 g pack basil leaves

salt and freshly milled black pepper

For the roasted tomatoes:

level teaspoons sun-dried tomato paste

sun-dried tomatoes

butter

red onion

Italian carnaroli rice

level teaspoon saffron stamens

dry white wine

Parmesan

double cream

For the risotto:

Oven

Slice each tomato in half and arrange the halves on the roasting tray, cut side uppermost, then season with salt and pepper, sprinkle a few droplets of olive oil on each one, followed by the chopped garlic, then finally top each one with half a basil leaf dipped in oil first to get a good coating. Now pop the whole lot into the oven and roast the tomatoes for 50-60 minutes or until the edges of the tomatoes are slightly blackened.

Put the tomatoes and all their juices into a processor and blend.

Melt the butter in a large casserole and fry the onion for about 7 minutes until it is just tinged brown at the edges.

Add the rice and stir to coat all the grains with the buttery juices.

Crush the saffron stamens to a powder with a pestle and mortar, then add this to the rice, together with the wine. Bring it up to boiling point, let it bubble for a minute then add the tomato paste and 330 ml boiling water.

Give it all a good stir, season with salt and pepper and then add all the processed tomato mixture plus the sun-dried tomatoes. Stir again and bring it just up to simmering point, then transfer the whole lot to the oven and, using a timer, give it 35 minutes.

Stir in the grated Parmesan and give it another 5-10 minutes

Just before serving, stir in the crearn and top each portion with shavings of Parmesan and any leftover basil leaves.

Serves 2 as a supper dish or 3-4 as a light lunch